When the Pink Book Closes
by Tayst Strange
Summary: This story is incomplete and may stay that way. Getting back to it has been harder than I expected, emotionally, as it dealt with a lot of things I was going through at the time and have since let go of. I'm sorry for the disappointment.
1. A Birthday Suprise After All

Note: 'thought' "spoken" 

Helga rolled over on her side and looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. It glowed 12:02 AM in big red numbers.

"Happy Birthday Helga! Yeah right." she turned on her back and looked up at the pink ceiling. "Bob and Miriam won't remember. None of my friends even know. Olga's thirteenth brithday was almost as big as her sixteenth. 'Oh, you're such a beautiful young lady now!' They said. 'This is a special day for you!' They said. And mine will be just like any other day, but more depressing." She yawned, "I hate birthdays."

Helga got up and quietly creeped to her bedroom door, opening it just a crack and listened. All she could hear was her dad's loud snoring and the whir of her mom making "smoothies" (Helga always wondered why she was never allowed to drink any of them. Later on, she learned that her mom always put alcohol in them. In fact, Helga could tell by the smell that lately they were becoming more like rum drinks and less like smoothies.)

"Perfect!" she whispered to no one in particular and slowly shut the door. She walked over to her closet and slid back the clothes to reveal a small shrine of Arnold, her one and only, surrounded by unlit candles. Helga quickly lit them.

"Oh, Arnold, my sweet, sweet Arnold, save me from this wretched day. This that comes each year, marking the tragedy of my birth into a family that keeps me in the shadows of their memory. Only you, Arnold, the beacon of light in these shadows, can save me from this dying day. Why, oh why, did God give me this life? But at least he sent me you, my angel." Helga picked up the head of the Arnold shrine and pretended to dance with it. "What's that, you say? You don't think my birth was a tragedy and you were glad that I was born? That I am your beacon of light, and that your life would be a shadowy Hell without me? Oh, Arnold." She put the head back with the body and pretended to hold something. "A dozen red roses, for me? Why, you shouldn't have! They're so lovely! Not as lovely as me, you whisper in my ear? Arnold, how you can flatter a young girl so!" Helga twirled around, but tripped on her own feet and fell on the floor with a thump.

"Who am I kidding?" Helga sat up and hugged her knees, suddenly scowling.

"Olga, go to sleep!" Her dad yelled from downstairs.

"I am asleep, Bob, crimeny! And my name's HELGA!" she yelled back.

"I said Helga!"

Mumbling, she stood up and dusted herself off. "Goodnight, my sweet Arnold." She whispered and with that, Helga blew out the candles, climbed back in her bed, and tried to cry herself to sleep.

NEXT MORNING

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE- Helga, depressed and drowzy, felt like a zombie even as she slammed the button on her clock. She hadn't slept for a minute through out the whole night, though the crying part came pretty easily. "Stupid alarm." She grumbled outloud and rubbed her eyes. "Stupid day." Slowly, she got up and headed for a cold shower. Then she got dressed in her usual pink dress and bow, brushed her hair, and headed downstairs.

As expected, Miram was passed out next to the smoothie machine. Helga scowled and grabbed some leftover stale coffee and downed it in one gulp, ignoring how it nearly scorched her throat, and headed for school. "Goodbye, Miriam, I'm going to school now!" She yelled, opening the door.

In an attempt to wipe the drool off of her face, she rubbed her cheek (which only smeared it around) and mumbled, "Bring me back a toy from work, wouldga, Mommy?"

Helga stopped, watched her mom drink the last of another smoothie, and pass back out again. "That was new. Usually, I'm Olga. Oh well, not like it matters." She shrugged and closed the door behind her. Across the street Helga could see the new neighbors getting ready to drive their son to kindergarten. The mom gave the little boy a kiss on the cheek before putting him in the back seat and buckling him in.

'Geez, that's more affection than I've gotten from both my parents put together in my entire thirteen years of life.' Helga thought and kicked a can as she walked along. 'Why do I have to go to school on this stupid day. I should've stayed home. Maybe it's not too late to get back.' She thought, already a few blocks from her home. 'Miriam wouldn't notice, but what if Bob forgot something and went back in the house? I could probably just tell him we didn't have school today. He wouldn't care. He wouldn't even check to make sure. Yeah that'll work. I'll just-'

"Hey, Helga."

"Shut up, Football head! I don't want to talk to you today!"

"Whatever you say." Arnold rolled his eyes and walked ahead.

'Wait, Arnold? Doesn't he take the bus? Oh, crap.' Helga was so into her thoughts about leaving she didn't even realise she had already arrived at school.

Helga watched Arnold as he walked up to the school building and held the door open. "You can go first, Helga."

She wanted to say thanks, but what came out instead was a bunch of grumbles and a sharp glare as she headed straight for her locker.

Arnold sighed, "Your welcome." and went for his locker too.

Helga put in her combination. No give. She put in her combination and smacked the locker door, causing it to swing open and scratch her shoulder. "Owe, stupid- great." She sneered, only to find she was sneering at herself. Literally. "Why the heck do I have a mirror in my locker? Oh yeah, Olga gave it to me." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Arnold and Gerald do their thumb shake thing and go into class. As soon as all was clear, Helga reached for the mirror and dropped it on the floor. Something about the sound of shattering glass was satisfying. "Oops." She muttered and grabbed her Math books just as the late bell rang and Helga went into the same class Arnold and Gerlad had.

Helga immediately chose a seat in the back corner.

"Hey, that's-"

"Just sit in my seat, Sid." She growled.

He slowly backed away and made for Helga's usual spot. "Tch." Helga slammed her books on the desk, slumped down in the chair, and used the books as a pillow. Her lack of sleep was finally catching up on her, and the second she layed her head down, she was out and dreaming.

Arnold quickly looked back at her, then to Phoebe. She was Helga's best friend and might have some answers, but he'd have to ask quickly. Luckily, Ms. Matcher was running late.

"Hey, Phoebe? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Arnold sat left of Gerald, who sat left of Phoebe, and he was at the pencil sharpener so Arnold took his seat.

"Yeah, sure, Arnold. What's the matter?" Phoebe adjusted her glasses.

"Do you know why Helga's so down today? I mean, she isn't always the kindest person to me, but usually she has something to say. She won't even talk to me. Do you know what's up?"

Phoebe thought for a moment, then looked over at Helga. "Oh, it must be..." She leaned in and whispered, "her birthday."

Arnold looked puzzled. "But... that doesn't make any sense. Why would she hate her birthday?"

"Um, maybe that's something you should ask her."

"But-!"

Phoebe gave an apoligetic look to him as the teacher walked in the class room and he went back to his seat. Gerald quickly returned to his seat too.

The seventh grade math teacher began to talk about Algebra, meanwhile in the back right corner seat, Helga's eyelids twitched franticly.

_"Happy Birthday, Olga!" My parents are cheering... but... it's not Olga's birthday, it's mine... Hey! Hey, it's my birthday! Can't you hear me? I'm trying to touch Mommy's leg... but... I can't feel her... Why is everyone so much bigger than me? "Oh, Olga, you're ever so perfect!" Lila? What are you doing here? "We're sisters!" "Oh, Lila, my little sister. My one true Helga." But... I'm Helga... "Honey, who's Helga?" "Why, she's right here, Mother!" That's not me... that's Lila. When is it my birthday? "Later, Olga." But... I'm... Helga... I'm Helga..._

"Helga! Class is over. It's time to go to next period, before we're late." Helga blinked a few times and saw Phoebe giving her a grin. Not a normal Phoebe grin, but an "I know something" Phoebe grin.

"I wasn't sleeping, Pheebs, I know what time it is." Helga sat up and realised she had something in her hand. "What the-" She squinted and saw a peice of gum as she uncurled her fingers. It was still in it's silver wrapper and appeared safe, so sje unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth. She was about to crumple the leftover wrapper, when she noticed something written inside of it.

_Happy Birthday Helga! - Arnold_

Helga sighed as she grabbed her Math books and ran out of the class room to her locker. She quickly put in the combination, banged the locker (which flew open and scratched her again.). "Owe! Crimeny, I don't have time for this!" She threw in her books and pulled out her pink book, Language Arts/Social Studies journal, and favorite pen.

AFTER SCHOOL

Helga was scowling as she left school, still chewing the same gum from this morning, still tired from last night, and staring at her feet, when she heard a familiar voice. 'My prince!' she thought to herself, even as she realised he was not alone. 'And that... princess...' She looked up to see Lila giggling like a Miss Pre-Teen Hyena, while Arnold faced the ground, blushing and smiling.

Slowing down her pace, Helga decided she would wait until Lila left to start talking to him. At a certain point, she had to stop completely and pretend to fidget with her books, because their conversation was lasting so long. (Helga keeps a book bag in her locker, which she only takes home if she has homework or something to study. Despite what everyone believed, Helga was pretty acedemic in everything, except the alternative classes.)

Eventually, Lila left and Helga jogged to catch up with Arnold. "Hey, Football-head."

"I'm sorry, Helga, but I've got to go before I... miss... my bus, as is drives away without me." Arnold sighed as the long yellow vehicle moved it's way down the street. "I guess I walk with you." Despite the fact that now he had to walk a pretty far way home, he still smiled.

"Then hurry up." Helga said stiffly. Staring straight ahead, she flared her nostrils in anger and started to speed-walk. She knew what was going on, or at least, she guessed it.

"Hey, wait up! Helga, you're going too fast!" When Arnold caught up, she glared at him, but slowed down anyways.

"So, what were you and _Lila_ talking about?" Helga looked straight forward again.

"Oh, nothing much. Just... arranging a date, that's all." Helga couldn't see his blush, but she could definitely hear his goofy, love-sick sigh. "She's so... perfect! And... uh.. Helga?" He looked back. 'First she says hurry up, then she falls behind. Does it have something to do with her birthday?'

Helga had almost forgotten to walk. Then she shook her head and sped up again. "Well, that's..." she gritted her teeth, "that's just great. I hope you two are very happy. Very _happy_."

"Helga, what's up with you? You've been grouchy all day. I don't understand, why do you hate your birthday so much?"

Her eyes narrowed as she faced Arnold and shoved a finger in his face. "How'd you find out about that anyways? You know what, nevermind, 'cause it's none of your business, so just keep out!" She stomped off royally pissed, and he decided it was best not to follow her. Instead, he checked the time on his watch as he remembered his promise to help Grandpa fix some things around the Boarding House, and started running home.

Oh, what he would have seen if he had followed her.

"Stupid Arnold. Nosing in my business... why does he care, anyways? Oh, that's right, he doesn't. He only wants his Princess Liiilaaa." Helga grumbled sarcasticly. Across the street, the little boy was crying and whining about something while his mom and dad tried to calm him down. "And that's STILL more affection than I get in a life time!"

When Helga stopped in front of her house, she tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Hm. Bob must not be home yet." She picked up a large rock and took the key from underneath. After she unlocked the door, there was a sight to see in the kitchen.

Miriam was still passed out by the smoothie machine.

So maybe it wasn't exactly a shocking to sight.

"'Happy Birthday, Helga! Welcome home, Helga!' No, that's okay, you can keep your presents. It's not like you have any for me anyways." she threw her bag on the floor. Miriam didn't wake up, so Helga went on, finally able to properly vent. "You didn't even call me Olga this morning. No, you don't even recognise me as your own daughter anymore! Crimeny, I might as well be dust on the floor for all you care! Remember Olga's birthday? Her "special day"? What a lovely piano you had bought her! Three layered cake, giggling grimlins all over the place. You can't even snore me Happy Birthday! So happy... FUCKING... BIRTHDAY... TO YOU!" Helga kicked the table and Miriam's head rolled over to the side.

"Wait a minute..." She wasn't snoring. She was passed out, but she wasn't snoring. "Miriam?" Helga's face, once fierce a minute ago, instantly softened with worry. "Miriam?" Nothing. "M-Mom?" Helga reached out and touched Miriams cold cheek, and screamed.

Miriam had finally drank herself to death.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow. First chapter, and already someone dead. But, it will get brighter as the story goes on... right? (And next time, I'll try not to make Helga... so... well, she was supposed to be more miserable than whiney, but maybe I'm just a bad writer. (shrugs) Try and stay interested for... CHAPTER 2!


	2. Perfect Saturday

Miriam was dead. Miriam was dead. Miriam was... dead.

Helga put her hand to her mouth in attempt to hold back the vomit. "Oh, fuck, oh... oh fuck..." Helga shook her head, closed her eyes, and ran for the phone.

9-1-1. 9-1-1. Helga was shaking too hard to press the buttons. "Fuck!" She took in a deep breath and tried to be as calm as someone could be with their dead mother less than ten feet away. Helga slowly pressed the buttons, but started shaking again as it rang.

"Hello? What's your emergency?"

"Crimeny, how can you be so calm when Miriam is DEAD?!"

The rest of the day was a total blur. Ambulances showed up, people came around to ask what was going on, Bob came home. Ambulances left, people left, Bob left. Helga was now lying on her bed, staring at the pink wall of her room. It felt as if the bright color was mocking her grey day. She blinked slowly as she tried to sink in everything around her, all that had happened. Helga didn't know which made her feel more sick, the fact that she hadn't had anything to eat or drink but stale coffee, or the fact that deep inside she knew she didn't miss her mom. Her mom was gone and deep down Helga knew she didn't need her back, and for once she felt mortified about it. "She never really loved me," Helga's voice quivered as she thought out quietly, "but doesn't it make me just as malicious if I don't love her back?" She shut her eyes tight and wondered why she couldn't cry. "Oh, Arnold," she felt selfish for speaking of him instead of Miriam, "Where are you to save me today?" She remembered what he has said earlier about making a date with Lila. Helga groaned and pulled the blankets over her head, hoping to either suffocate or at least go to sleep.

THE NEXT DAY

"This is a perfect Saturday, Gerald, a perfect Saturday. Don't you think it's a perfect Saturday? Perfect." Arnold stared at the bright blue sky as he lay next to his best friend in Gerald Field an hour after walking Lila home from the movies.

"Soooo, I take it your date went pretty well, huh?" He laughed and studied a cloud slowly floating by. "What does that one look like to you?" Gerald pointed.

"Lila." Arnold said dreamily. Gerald looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so give me all the dirty details, I want to know everything."

"Alright, so we went to the movie theater, and her hair was so shiny and pretty, and she smelled good. Oh, and did you know-"

"How about you skip the details and just give me the main points."

Arnold sighed. "Alright, so we watched a scary movie, but I don't remember what it was. And the whole time she held my hand." Another sigh. "Everytime a scary part came, she'd squeeze my hand and say my name, 'Arnold!' Like that. Who knew my name sounded so good when she says it?" He took a deep breath. "Isn't this a perfect Saturday?"

"Hey, Arnold? Are you going to be doing that all day? 'Cause it's starting to get on my nerves."

"Do what?"

"That 'Isn't this a perfect Saturday?' stuff and sighing all the time." Gerald laughed. "You're in deep, aren't you? Deeper than Ruth, I'd say. Man, those were some funny times. Remember the cheese festival? You sounded like a wigged out robot. 'Hi Ruth. Hi Ruth. Oh my gosh, Gerald, what's my line?! Hi Ruth.' You're hopeless, Arnold. A hopeless romantic." He put his hands under his head. "What about that cloud? What does that one look like?"

"Lila's hand, but not as smooth." Hm. Was this what love felt like? "You know, you sounding pretty bold for who you really are. What about... Pheobe?" Arnold gave him a sly look.

"I-I'm just waiting for the right moment. You know how girls are, they want everything to be special and stuff. Speaking of which, let's get back to the point. There's still one thing I gotta know." Gerald looked over at his buddy and raised his eyebrows. "Did you... you know? Kiss the girl?"

"Well... uh... you know how I am. Never kiss and tell, right?"Arnold started blushing, but the memory of Helga smooshing her lips into his at FTi flashed in Arnold's mind and he awkwardly shoved it away.

"So you diiiid kiss her! Ooooh, your first kiss, unless you're trying to tell me something else. 'You know how I am', what's that supposed to mean anyways?"

"Nothing! I just..."

"Helga."

"W-what? How... what?" He never told Gerald about that! It had just been the heat of the moment, so it practicly didn't even count, right? So, How did he-

"Across the street." Gerald interupted the narrator while giving Arnold a strange look, but shrugged it off and looked back. "Man, she looks mopey. HEY HELGA, WHEN'S THE FUNERAL?" She surpised him. He expected her to come stomping over, ready to pound him, but instead she just turned her head and looked... empty?

"Monday." She sluggedly walked on again, probably for home. She mumbled something else, like "11:15 am. Wear something nice, Olga, don't be late.", but she was too quiet and far away for him to hear it.

"Hey Arnold? You don't think..." For once, Gerald was considering apologizing to Helga G. Pataki.

"Nah, she couldn't have. Maybe she's just having a bad day?" Arnold watched her go around the corner. 'Was her birthday really that bad?' he thought, 'I mean, Pheobe said that Helga didn't like her birthdays, but something really bad must've happened for her to be like this.' He shook his head. "It's none of our business. Besides, today's too good to let down. The sky is blue, the trees are green, even the clouds are beautiful!" Arnold wasn't sure at what point he sat up, but now he layed back down again.

"A perfect Saturday?" Gerald followed.

"Yeah." Arnold closed his eyes and almost instantly fell into Lila Land.  
-  
Author's Note: I think this is a bit shorter than the first chapter, but I thought this was a good spot to end. Besides, for me it's currently 3 in the morning. I have to be up in six hours, and I'm sick, and I have to babysit. FUN FACT: Originally, I'd written this chapter as Arnold's date and even had a really good part with Grandpa and Grandma, but when it came to Lila, she was just ever so... perfect... and boring. I hate to say it, but I'm going to need some suggestions on how to bring her in the story without dragging the chapter on. I've also saved the date scene in a document that I'm going to call "Scraps", in which I'll keep any/all cut scenes. Sorry for the long note, but while I'm at it I want to say thanks to FOUR people who reviewed the first chapter of the first story of my first account. Seriously, I was shocked at first, and now I'm sort paranoid that they're com's or robots with clever usernames automaticly set up to make noobs feel better. Hm, conspiracy. Lastly, I put a little humor in it this time, tried to lighten it up. Let me know if it seems out of place. TS 


	3. Mute Monday

"Mom, we'll miss you so much. You were a beautiful person, inside and out." Olga now spoke at the funeral, tears streaming down her face, "You were a loving and caring wife and mother. You supported me and helped me with my achievements. Even though it feels like I can't move on without you, I know that with the strength you and Dad gave me, and with you still living in my heart, I'll stay strong. I love you and miss you, Mom." She wiped her eyes again with the now half soaked hankercheif in her hand. 

Bob now had his chance to say his goodbyes. He walked over to the polished coffin and put a bouquet of flowers on top. For a brief moment, he looked the coffin over before resting his head on it and sobbed. "Oh, Miriam, I love you. I miss you so much. Why did you have to go? Why didn't I see it? Why? Oh, God, it wasn't her time to go, it wasn't. Miriam, I still need you, I still love you." He spent the next five minutes crying, as any husband would have a right to for his dead wife. "Goodbye, Miriam." he whispered before going back to his spot in the small gathering. "H-Helga?"

She slowly walked over to the coffin her dead mother now lyed in. Helga looked across the street where Gerald and Arnold stopped on their bikes and watched with sorrowful faces. She looked up at the blue sky, seemingly laughing at her the same way her pink wall had. She looked at the faces watching her, at the dark green grass spread across the cemetery, then at the wooden box Miriam was in. She didn't know what to say, not even "Goodbye" seemed right. Helga didn't want her last moments with the only mother she had to be sour, but what do you say to someone who never loved you they way they should have? What "Goodbye" do you say to someone who was never really there? To a mother who was never really a mother? Instead, she just rubbed her hand over the shiny oak coffin and wondered if her mom was feeling ashamed herself right now, or if she was feeling ashamed of Helga. Maybe, she was in Heavan and it was so perfect there, that Miriam didn't even care about her former life on Earth. Helga walked back to her place without have spoken a word.

Across the street, Gerald was nudging Arnold. "I take back that comment I said the other day to Helga. I had no idea her mom died and I hate to say it, but even she didn't need that."

"Maybe we should go talk to her. You know, see if she's okay." Arnold propped his elbow on handle bars of his bike. "I wonder what Lila would say to her."

Gerald slowly turned his head over to Arnold and stared with a look of mild shock before grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking vigorously. "Arnold. Helga G. Pataki's mom is DEAD. The big bully of P.S.118 and Hillwood Jr. High, the one who finds nothing better to do then torment everyone else around her, the girl who spends all of first period making her spitball collection in your hair, is at the funeral of her mother and isn't saying a word, Arnold, not a word. She's not even crying. In fact, she's not doing anything, but standing quietly and obediently.We are just feet away from a funeral, and you still, STILL manage to have Lila on your mind. Helga and Lila don't even like each other."

"Well, I meant that Lila's really nice and they're both girls, so she might know the right thing to say."

"Lila is nice, I'll give you that, but this is Helga we're talking about. She's a she, but hardly a girl."

"Helga is different, but she's still a girl, Gerald. I'm sure she can have a feminine side, it's just... hidden."

"Right, Arnold. I'm sure she's keeping it in her closet." He put a hand on his hip. "You try to find a bright side in everything, Arnold. You're like this... flashlight in the dark. 'Oh no, a shadow!' 'No, that's not really a shadow. See, watch this!' Ding. 'I told you it wasn't really a shadow. It only looks like a shadow!' That's you."

"Thanks, Gerald, way to be deep. And I don't sound like that." Arnold took a moment to wonder whether he was being complimented or insulted. Shuffling could be heard and Gerald and Arnold looked across the street. Apparently, the funeral was now over, and everyone was spreading out and slowly walking back to their cars. Except Helga. Big Bob and Olga were comforting eachother as they walked to their own car, but Helga was just sitting in the grass, staring at the fresh grave that her mother now rested in.

"What would Lila say?" Arnold whispered, still watching Helga.

At first, Gerald was happy and even a little proud that his best friend was finally going out with the girl of his dreams, but now he was worried that Arnold might be moving a little too fast. "Hey, Arnold?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll talk to you later. Give this Lila thing a break, you're getting ahead of yourself. And... maybe you should talk to Helga. I don't really like her, and I think she could use your flashlight right about now." Gerald pushed his bike forward and started pedaling for home.

Arnold nervously brushed his fingers through his hair. "Later, Gerald."

'What would... no, what should I say to her? Her mother just died and Helga is... complicated. It's not really a bad thing, but what do I say to her?" Arnold wondered as he dropped his bike off at the cemetery entrance and walked over to his childhood friend. "Hey Helga, are you okay?" She didn't even jump or move. "I guess not, but do you want to talk about it?" Arnold sat down next to her and leaned forward, trying to look at her face, but Helga just turned away. "I'm really sorry this happened to you, I really am. I know this is hard for you, but I'm not just being nice to you. I'm your friend and I'm here for you." Helga sighed deeply and finally looked at him. Her face was pale and expressionless, but her eyes were full of sadness. Yet she wasn't crying. Arnold knew that something was emotionally wrong with Helga.

Suddenly, she stood up and Arnold followed. They looked at the now empty parking lot. He felt astonished, but Helga was uneffected. Empty. 'Helga's family left her here?!' Arnold thought as he glanced at Helga and tried to figure out her feelings. 'How can they leave her like this?!' She just sighed and started out of the cemetery. "Wait, I'll walk you home." He reached for his bike, then caught up to her. "Helga?" No response. "Do they... does your family do this often?"

She just watched her feet, silent.

They walked on like that, Arnold pulling his bike on his left, Helga walking on his right. He would look over at her every minute or so, wanting her to say something. It became to much for him when they finally reached her house.

"Look, Helga," Arnold dropped his bike to grab her arms and turn her to face him. The blank expression on her face when she looked was killing him. "You act like you're okay, but I know that's not how you're feeling. So please, talk to me. Tell me what's going on inside there?" He felt a sort of tingle run up his spine as he realised how corny he sounded, but right now it didn't matter. The corners of Helga's mouth twitched as if she didn't know whether to frown or smile, but then she did something completely unexpected: she hugged him.

"Don't start getting mushy on me now, okay?" Helga's voice shivered and she pulled away, keeping her eyes to the ground. Flustered and embarassed, she quickly turned around and ran into her house.

"Is that you Olga?" The sound of a withered Bob Pataki leaked out the door when she opened it.

"I-I'm over here, Dad. Helga must be-" SLAM The door was shut, so Arnold got on his bike and pedalled for home, unaware that Rhonda was half a block away calling Lila to give some misconcepted news.

IN THE PATAKI HOUSE

"-home."

"Oh," Bob wiped his eyes with his shirt and continued, "good. H-H-" He was a mess. He need some aspirin, he needed to rest, he needed his wife. Bob sat down in a dining room chair and put his face in his hands. "Helga." Deep breath. "I called the school. You... you don't have to go to school tomorrow, since... since your mother..." He started crying again. "Oh, God, I miss her so much."

Olga ran over to her father. "Oh, no, Dad. It's okay, it'll be okay, really. It just takes time." Even though she sounded almost calm, she began to cry too.

Helga watched for a moment before walking up the stairs and entering her room. She felt drained out of energy and all emotion except shame as she flopped down on her bed and wondered, 'Why can't I cry?' Helga rolled over on her side and stared at the wall. 'My eyes water, and I should be crying, but I... can't.' She closed her eyes and thought about the day she found her mother, dead. About the funeral. About how her own dad and sister left her behind like they always do. Helga even thought about how she went weak and ended up hugging Arnold of all people. The only one she ever really loved, but like everyone else, didn't love her. Still, she couldn't cry, and instead ended up feeling sick and pain all over her body. Even breathing hurt. Hours went by and still all Helga could do was ask herself the same questions again and again.

"Girls! Dinner is ready!" Bob called and Helga's thoughts were interupted. She went down stairs, where Bob and Olga were already picking and distainfully picking at their burnt food.

After a solid fifteen minutes of slowly poking and prodding and eating, Olga broke the silence. "Let's not mope tonight. Mother wouldn't want it to be this way. Why don't we just talk about the good times we had with her and try to smile?" She looked around the table. "Daddy, do you want to go first?"

"That's a great idea, Olga! You're a good daughter, I'm glad you're mine." Bob thought for a moment, then when he had a memory, he spoke. "Remember that time you had won the ballet contest, and Miriam was supposed to make orderves for the after party? She was never a good cook, and she accidently mixed up the ingredients and ruined the food, so we all went to fancy restaraunt instead. I don't know what was bigger, the bill or the mess at home." His eyes were still watery, but this time they were happy tears. "How about you, Olga?"

She grinned and took a deep breath. "That was a great meal. What about that time she thought we were late for my spelling bee, so she shoved you and me in the car and drove so fast she got a speeding ticket?"

"Hey, I remember that! The cop stopped us for at least thirty minutes and we were still an hour early! Gave you extra time to practice though." He rolled his eyes. "Like you needed it. But why wasn't Helga there?"

"She was, Daddy, but she had to walk, because Mom was in such a hurry we accidently left her behind." Olga giggled.

"Oh yeah. Helga, what's your memory?"

With Bob's and Olga's eyes watching her, she raced through her mind trying to find something, even a decent moment, but the truth was the only time Miriam ever paid attention to her was when she was in trouble or when her mom lost or threw away something of Helga's. All she could do was nervously poke her fork at the uneaten food in front of her. Bob coughed ridiculously loud.

"Daddy, can you excuse Helga and me for a moment?" Olga bashed her eyes.

"Sure." He took a small bite of the food and waited.

Olga grabbed Helga's arm and pulled her into the hallway. "Baby Sister, I know this is a rough time for you, but it's a rough time for everyone else. Now you've never acted like a part of this family, but it's very rude of you not to speak when spoken to." Helga's gaze stayed down, so Olga jerked her face up and made eye contact. "We're trying to make the best of this as possible, and you moping around is just selfish." She spoke more firmly. "Mom's death was tragic, don't you understand that? You didn't even cry at the funeral, but now when everyone's trying to cheer up, all you do is sit around and feel sorry for yourself. Can't you think of someone else for a change?!" Helga stared with wide eyes, speechless at this side of her older sister she was used to seeing. "Well, say something!" Olga looked in her baby sister's tearless eyes and slapped her across the face, hard. Helga's left cheek was now red, and it stung when she put her hand to it. "You should be ashamed." Olga took one last disgusted look at her baby sister, then turned around and went back to dinner. Helga ran back up to her room and just before shutting her door, she could hear Olga and Bob.

"Where's Helga?"

"She went to bed early, Daddy. She's tired from the funeral."

"I thought I heard a slapping noise?"

"Oh, I just hit a bug is all."

"Nasty, aren't they? I hate every last one of them."

Helga leaned on the door and slid down, still in shock about the look on Olga's face, her tone, and what she had said about being selfish. "She's right." Helga whispered outloud and hugged her knees. "She's right."  
--------------------------------  
Author's Note: What?! What is this?! Olga's nice, and pretty, and perfect. She would never do that! Thanks to the one who noticed that I had been spelling Phoebe wrong and that in the first chapter I had wrote 12:0(something) PM, when I should have wrote AM. The corrections are appreciated! Also, thanks to all the faves and reviews. I hope this chapter is longer, and I'm sorry it took so long to put up. (Warning: The following are excuses) Again, I had originally written this so Lila had sort of "unofficially become" part of the Pataki family (like when you say a friend is a brother or sister, but really you aren't related in any way) and Arnold comforted Lila and Helga left before he could talk to her, but then I realised making a change like that and rushing it in the third chapter was.. um... [place word I'm looking for here, so I had to re-write it. I've also been dealing with some "personal issues" per say, so that slowed me down a bit too. I dare not quit on you guys! And to those wondering, I do actually have future events planned to happen in this story, I'm just taking my sweet time getting there. Let me know if the story feels too slow or too rushed. -TS


	4. I Can't Think of a Title

"Baby sister!" 

Helga rolled over and groaned.

"Baby sister, wake up!"

Helga sat up on her bed and rubbed her eyes, then looked at Olga.

"Daddy called me on my cell phone. He says he wants to meet us down on Richton Street. I just called a cab, it'll be here in about fifteen minutes. Grab something to eat and get dressed." Olga smiled as she sat on the bed and touched Helga's arm. "And... Baby Sister, I'm sorry for how I acted last night. I was just stressed. I was in the wrong, not you, and I hope you can forgive me." Olga held her arms open for a hug.

"Yeah, forgiven." Helga ignored her as she got out of bed and walked to her closet. Her sister sighed before leaving the room and closing the door gently behind her. Helga yawned as she changed from her pajamas into her usual pink dress, pulled on a clean pair of socks and stepped into her shoes. 'Richton Street? Isn't that where all the sort-of-rich people live?' Helga grabbed her brush off of the dresser and yanked it through her hair. She winced at each tangle, but couldn't care less when she was finished. Helga walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. She opened the door of the fridge saw her reflection on an empty piture stare dully back at her. _Mom's death was tragic, don't you understand that? You didn't even cry at the funeral, but now when everyone's trying to cheer up, all you do is sit around and feel sorry for yourself._ Helga closed the fridge door. _You should be ashamed._ Olga's words lingered in her head like the sting on her cheek after she'd been slapped. She lost her appetite, even while her head felt dizzy and her stomach growled loudly.

BeeBeeeep! A car honked outside. "Helga, the cab's here!" Olga grabbed her purse and opened the door. Helga left the kitchen and walked outside to the taxi, Olga locked the door and followed.

"Where to?" The hairy man in the driver's seat put out his cigarette and grabbed the steering wheel.

"Richton Street!" Olga's voice rang.

"Okay." The car started and Olga began a conversation with the driver about what her college experience was like, while the driver explained how he dropped out of high school and never made it to college. Helga just stared out the window and watched her neighborhood go by. The streets were practicly empty, since all the kids were still at school. They passed by Gerald's Feild, where everyone still played baseball. She recognised Rhonda's house as it went by as well. Then they passed Chez Paris, where she had her first date with Arnold. Helga looked over to Olga and the driver, who were too into their conversation to notice her, and then pulled out her locket and stared at the picture. "Oh, Arnold," she whispered, "Do you remember that night, around four years ago? I do. That night we had shared feelings, shared them! You saw a hidden side, why can't you realise it was mine? Was it because you thought I was Ceciel? But I wasn't really someone else, it was still me! It was still my voice, my words, I had meant everything I said! Did we not agree that the best presents can be inside the plainest of boxes? Yet, you still fall for the pretty wrapping paper outside. Why can't you see that I'm the one you should be with? That the wrapping is just paper and a box is just a box, but it's what's inside that really counts? Will you ever find out the real me? Will you ever-"

"Richton Street. That'll be thirty-seven forty-two, Ma'am."

Olga reached in her purse and pulled out two twenties. "Keep the change!" Helga tucked her locket back into her dress and the sisters stepped out of the taxi into a quaint, happy little neighborhood.

"Thanks! And, hey, good luck with college!" The driver yelled.

Olga waved and the taxi drove off. "He was really nice. Oh, I see Daddy! Daddy!" She called and ran to him. Helga groaned and walked after her.

They met him on the sidewalk in front of a row of houses. "I bet you two are wondering why I called you here. Well, to tell the truth, I was wondering what you thought of this blue place, right here." Bob turned to the house behind him and proudly put his hands on his hips. "Isn't it perfect? Just perfect."

Helga's face turned pale.

"Oh, Daddy, it's gorgeous! Are you going to buy it?" Olga clapped her hands and hugged her dad.

"Maybe. I want to see what the inside looks like first, you know, make sure I get my money's worth. The price is kind of high, but the owner's said that they'd haggle. I'm going to try to weasel them, uh, bargain with them for a lower price."

"But, Bob, what about school and my friends?" Helga worried, even though she didn't care a whole lot about school and Pheobe was her only real friend.

He put a hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder and tried to sound sympathetic. "Now, relax. You'll spend the rest of the school year at P.S. 118, then go to a different school next year. Don't you have like another month of school left anyways?"

"I don't go to P.S. 118 anymore, Bob, I go to Hillwood Jr. High now. Besides, After this week there's only three days of school left!" Helga sighed in agony.

"Only that long? Sheesh, time goes by fast. Anyways, it'll give you more time to make new friends. Ever since Miriam died, the house just hasn't felt the same. Besides, the place is a dump. We need some new scenery, Olga.'

"I'm Helga, Dad. Helga."

"Whatever, Olga. We need change. Change is good, it'll be good for us. Okay?"

She just looked down at the ground. It was obvious she couldn't win.

"Daddy," her older sister called from the house and was looking inside the window, "How can you afford this house? Did you get a raise or something?"

"Glad you asked!" Bob walked away from Helga and walked up to Olga. "The president of Movie-Electrics heard about our misfortune and decided to collaborate with Big Bob's Beepers! We're working on a new type of cell phone; it's supposed to be able to record video and audio twice as long and with twice the quality of a normal phone, or something like that. We haven't worked out all the features yet. Now," Bob dangled a couple of keys and unlocked the front door, "Let's check out the inside of this beaut'!" They bothed went inside. Helga grumbled and followed. She heard a hissing noise as she walked up the wooden steps of the porch.

"What in the heck?!" She looked down to see two large brown raccoon eyes through the floor boards. "Aaaaack!" Helga screamed and ran in the house. 'At least it wasn't a rat.' She thought as she closed the door behind her and let out a breath of relief. Then she looked up and studied the rooms in front of her. Right now she was in a hallway and on her left was the laundry room, on her right was the kitchen. Further down the hall were the stairs and the living room. The hallway, living room, and kitchen had nicely polished wood floors and Helga frowned as she remembered running her hand along Miriam's coffin. She shook her head and walked in the living room. The room was noticably bigger than the one at her current house and the wall paper was striped blue. On the otherside of the room a glass door could be opened to the back yard. It looked to be about half the size of Gerald's Field, and twice as green. Helga turned around and went upstairs, where Bob and Olga were.

"Look at this! The bathroom is a little bit smaller than ours, but there's a guest bedroom AND an office with it on this floor! The bedrooms are upstairs if you want to see them."

"Can I help you decorate the guest room, Daddy?" Olga smiled cutely and bashed her eyelids.

"Sure, Olga. In fact, you can decorate the whole thing if you like."

"Oh, thank you so much!" She kissed him on the cheek and Bob started talking about what he wanted for his office. Helga just walked across the hall and up the next flight of stairs, and noted the third floor. First, she looked in the room on her left. It was pretty big and connected to a small bathroom.

"This must be the master bedroom." Helga thought out loud. Then she walked out, passed the stairs to the attic, and into the other bedroom. The window was large and had a huge tree right next to it. Helga turned around and looked at the walls, which were decorated with wallpaper. Red, with pink roses printed on them. "Yeck." Helga sneered, then walked to the closet. She slid opened the door and looked inside. Just a regular closet. "I don't want to move, especially not to this prissy neighborhood." Helga looked around and listened carefully for Bob and Olga. Still down stairs. "Perfect." She pulled out the locket from her dress once again. "Arnold? How will I survive without you?" She turned to face the wall and sat down. "You were always there for me. Even when I ridaculed you and called your names like Football Head and Hair Boy, when I questioned your plays, and even when I tortured you to no end, you still cared. And now, so far away, how will I be able to see you? When things get hectic? When Bob forgets my name and ignores me, when it feels like no one cares? When I just want to get away from home, who will I talk to?" Helga sighed deeply.

"Rough home life too?"

Helga jumped about a foot in the air. She put her locket in her dress and turned around, scowling. "Crimeny! Why the heck did you sneak up on me like that?! I oughtta deck you for that." She looked at the boy in front of her. He was boots that went up to about mid-calf, his pants were black with thin white strips going down and a chain on one side. He had a black t-shirt on it with a creepy looking guy on the front. His hair was spiked up and dyed bright green. "How'd you get in here?! And who are you supposed to be, The King of Shadows with over-grown grass for hair?"

He smiled and took a step closer. "Fiesty, are we? That's good. Nice to know my new neighbor isn't some perfect froo-froo. What's with the pink and the bow, though?"

"What's with the black?" Helga snapped.

"Touche. As for your questions, I climbed up the tree and in the window. I didn't mean to sneak up on you, I just have that quality about me." His boyish smile turned into a mischievous grin. "As for who I am, you'll have to find that out later."

Helga crossed her arms and needed to ask one more question. "How much did you hear?"

King Grass Head over here copied Helga by crossing his own arms."Of what you said? I came in at 'When Bob forgets my name?' Is Bob you're step dad or something?"

She uncrossed arms and put her hands on her hips. "None of your business, so beat it!"

"Girl, are you still in here?! It's time to go!"

The older boy in front of her looked out the door, then started walking backwards towards the window. "So, Helga's your name, huh? Not a name I'd choose, but okay. I guess I must be going." He stepped out onto a large limb on the tree, but before he was completely gone, he turned back to the girl in the pink dress. "Well, Helga, you're very pretty." He gave a smile. "I hope you get to move in." Then he slid down on to a lower branch and was out of sight, leaving Helga standing alone with her mouth open.

'Me? _Pretty?_' She thought.

"Come on, let's get moving!" Bob's rough voice demanded.

Helga shook her head before stomping out of the room and down the stairs. As soon she got out the front door (cautious of the raccoon that might still be under the porch) she went straight to the back seat of the car and closed the door. She watched Bob lock the door, then put the keys under a flower-print welcome mat. Then he and Olga walked back to the car.

"Well, what do you think? Olga's only going to be here for a few more days, so she'll help us move and then go back to finish college, but Helga, I need you as a full time worker. And when we start living here, you better keep it clean. Three stories, a front and back lawn, an attic and a basement, what do you think? There's enough room in that house you can finally get that dog or cat you've been wanting." Bob buckled his seat belt.

Olga sat down in the passanger's seat and buckled her own belt too.

"_Dad_, I don't even like animals." Helga groaned and slid down in her seat as Bob started the car.

"Whatever. What do you think of the house?" He started the car.

Helga sat up again. "It's terrible! I don't know any of the buses around here and it's almost a fourty dollar cab ride to back home! How do you expect me to visit my friends? And the neighbors are weird!"

"I thought you didn't have any friends. Oh, well, you can walk or call them or something. Now, pipe down young lady, I say we're buying this house. It's good for us!"

"You mean it's good for you! Just because you don't have any friends, doesn't mean that I don't! I want to stay at our real house!"

Bob's face started turning red. "You better watch your mouth, I do to I have friends! I have plenty of friends! I've got..." He scratched his head. "Well, there's..."

Helga glared at him in the rearview mirror.

"Well, you don't have a choice! We're moving and that's FINAL. Do you hear me? Final!"

"Daddy," Olga's voice was full of worry, "You're so tense and stressed out! How about when we get home, I make a lemon pie and play some piano while Helga starts on the packing." She reached over and put a hand on her dad's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, that's a wonderful idea! I am feeling a little overwhelmed with everything that's been going on and you're lemon pies are the best! How about you play the Minute Waltz. Olga, you a wonderful daughter. But you, Helga, I'm less than proud with you."

"Of course you aren't, Dad, I'm just not perfect enough for you, am I?" She whispered and stared out the window for the rest of the way home.

HILLWOOD JR. HIGH

Arnold was sitting practicly alone in the lunchroom as he waited for Lila. Sheena had given him a note third period, and Arnold read it over again.

_Dearest Arnold,  
I'm afraid we need to talk. Meet me at lunch, at the table next to the water fountain.  
Lila_

'What's the matter? We've only been officially boyfriend and girlfriend for...' Arnold thought as he checked his watch. '3 days, 17 hours, and 26 minutes. What could I possibley have done in that time? Did I not call her enough? Did I call her too much? Was it something I said?' He gulped loudly. 'Did she find someone else?'

"Arnold!" Lila interupted his thoughts. "You're here early. Don't tell me you skipped just to see little ol' me?"

"Oh, no! My class was let out early today. So, um... I got the note. What's going on? Is it my fault? I'm sorry! I mean..."

"Let me explain. I got a call from Rhonda yesterday. It might be only a rumor or something, but she said she saw you walking with Helga. And... well, maybe Rhonda just saw wrong, but she said... she said... oh, Arnold, I like you ever so much, tell me it isn't true!" Lila's eyes were watering and she looked so sad, Arnold wanted to reach out and hug her, and tell her everything was okay, but he didn't know what to do.

"Tell you what isn't true? What did Rhonda say?"

Lila sat down next to Arnold. She took a deep breath and continued. "She said that Helga hugged you and she said she saw... she thought she saw... she said it looked like you two... you... k-i-s-s-e-d." She stared down at her feet.

"Wha- what... no! That never happened! That would never happen!" 'Though it has...' Arnold mentally slapped himself. "I mean, I was walking her home and we did talk, and she did hug me..." Lila looked up at him, close to crying. Arnold glanced around the lunch room, then leaned down to whisper so no one else would hear, "Her mother died and her family... I was walking her home from the funeral. She hugged me, but that was it."

Lila wiped her tears and smiled. "Really? Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'm ever so glad! But... why would Rhonda lie to me?"

He smiled and put his arms around her. "Well, I didn't see her at the time she said she saw me, so, maybe she was just far away and was at a bad angle?"

"Maybe, but right now, I don't care! I'm just happy that she was wrong." Lila squeezed him back and leaned her head on his chest, but her smile turned into a frown. "What happened to Olga's mom? I wonder if she's okay."

Arnold twisted his face. "Olga? You mean Helga's older sister?"

"Yeah. We were friends for a while, but then she had to go back to Bennington College. I think she should be graduating soon, but that's not the point. Olga seemed to be a lot closer to her family than Helga. From what she told me, Helga pretty much stays away from everyone. So... how did her mom die?"

Arnold sighed. Right now, he wanted to be holding Lila's hand and walking in the park, or listening to her funny jokes, anything but talk about Helga and her family. "Um, I don't know all the details, but look, here come Gerald and Sid! Hey, Gerald!"

"Hey, Arnold. Hey Lila. I saw you guys together and got you some fries. I would've gotten more, but the lunch lady said giving more than one lunch to one person 'wasn't fair'." Gerald sat next Lila and Sid sat across from Gerald. Arnold had to shift under Lila to grab the fries.

"Not fair? Not fair?" Sid raised his voice. "Harold get's two lunches all the time!"

Arnold swollowed a mouthful of fries. "Yeah, but I think he pays extra."

"He didn't pay extra for the bag of chips he stole from me last week." Sid grumbled and took a bite out of his greasy cheese burger.

"Eckhem."

"Oh, sorry Lila! Do you want to go outside and talk or something?"

Lila sighed. "No, that's okay. I need to talk to Rhonda and tell her she was wrong. I'l see you later Arnold!" She kissed him on the cheek and skipped out of the lunchroom. Arnold touched where Lila kissed him and sighed a little too loud.

Sid leaned over to Gerald and put a hand around his mouth. "Are they going out or something?"

"No, Sid, they're just good friends." Gerald rolled his eyes sarcasticly.

"Aha, ahahaha!" Harnold took the food from Arnold. "Ha, ha, I got your fries! Ahahaha!" He ran off and plowed into Eugene.

"I'm okay!"

"Arnold! Are you just going to let that Harold take your food everyday?!" Gerald swollowed his own bite of burger.

Arnold's eyes were half closed and he sighed, still watching Lila as she giggled with Rhonda and Nadine. "Huh? I'm too in love to care." A goofy smirk spread across his face.

"Hey Gerald?"

"Yeah, Sid?"

"I don't think they're just good friends."

Gerald groaned and slapped himself in the face.

SUNSET ARMS

"Hey, Grandpa, I'm home!" Arnold put his backpack down in the kitchen and looked in the fridge for a snack.

"Hey, Short Man, how was school today?" He folded his newspaper and put it down.

Arnold pulled out the milk and poured himself a glass, then grabbed some cookies and put them on a plate. "Scary, Grandpa. Lila thought I cheated on her, but I didn't. I told her the truth and we're all okay now. She's so perfect, Grandpa. I think I love her." He set the milk and cookies on the table and grabbed himself a seat.

"Perfect, you say? Well, that's terrible!"

Arnold choked on his bite of chocolate chip cookie. He coughed a few times until his throat was clear. "Terrible? Why?"

"Because, Arnold, don't know ever watch the movies?! Perfect girls aren't really perfect! They're vicious man eaters! She'll draw you in close and rip your heart out! She'll tear it into a million pieces! Don't fall for her trap, Arnold, don't fall for it for a second! Or, she's just a really nice girl. You should invite her for dinner sometime, that would be great. Unless Grandma makes watermelon again." Grandpa and Arnold groaned at the same time.

"Thanks, Grandpa, but no thanks. I don't think she'd like having dinner here."

"And why not?" Grandma walked in the kitchen and took one of Arnold's cookies. "What's the matter, is she too perfect for our weird little home? Her charm and sophistication can't handle a little craziness?"

"No, Pookie, he's talking about your cooking. Speaking of which, what's for dinner tonight?"

"What should it matter, you're going to eat it anyways."

"Oh, Pookie, come on! I just want to know!"

Arnold finished off his milk and took a few more cookies. "I'm going to my room. I'll be down for dinner."

"You be sure to Arnold. And don't forget to invite your girlfriend over for dinner sometime!" Grandma turned and smacked Grandpa in the head.

"What was that for?!"

"What's wrong with my cooking, huh? Are you wishing you married a better cook all of a sudden?"

"Oh, no, Pookie, you know you're the only gal for me, I love you!"

"Aw, weeell, I love you too." Arnold saw his Grandparents kiss out of the corner of his eye before he ran up stairs to his room. He jumped on his bed and stared at the clear blue sky through the window on his roof.

'They sure are crazy, but they're crazy about eachother.' Arnold closed his eyes. 'I wonder if I'll end up with someone like that.'  
-  
Author's Note: Hm. Sorry this took so long. I've been writing a lot of Helga's view, and even though it technically is her story, I want to get more of the other characters in. I'm thinking the next chapter will mainly have the new guy's view. I'm having a hard time thinking of a name for him though. Suggestions? After that I want to get more Gerald and Arnold in, and more Lila, without neglecting Helga. Scripting, scripting... Oh, I've only recently been catching up on the episodes, but I haven't watched all of them yet so I miiiiight write in things that don't agree with an episode in the show. If it's something important like when I miss-spelt Phoebe, then tell me. If you can move around it though, just... do that... I guess. I can't believe how well this is doing! Thanks! (Need... name... suggestions)  
-TS


	5. And the Shift Begins

"S-so, Jacob, did you meet the new neighbors?" A small woman with short brown hair and dark circles around her eyes fearfully aproached her son in the kitchen. 

"How many times do I have to tell you, Mom?! I HATE THE NAME JACOB! MY FRIENDS CALL ME JAKE!" Angrily, the boy grabbed the nearest object, an orange, and threw it at her, hard. "YOU STUPID BITCH, YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME!" He always got like this when he was high. He hated his mom. He hated her. She was a woman and she was weak, and she should know better than to talk to him, the man of the house.

"I'm sorry, Jake, I'm sorry! I just wanted to know-" Why did he have to act this way? Just like his father: abusive, powerful, a drunk and an addict. A complete gentleman when he was sober, but he always found a way to use that as his advantage once the meth kicked in.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! SHUT THE HELL UP AND DIE!" He grabbed another orange and aimed for her face. Right in the eye, perfect shot. Jake watched his mom fall to the ground and start to cry like she always did. "I SAID! SHUT! UP!" He kicked her in the head, but for sake of not going to prison, he held back. She smacked her face into the wall and her lip instantly swelled.

"H-honey.. buh-buhlease..." She whispered as she put her arms over her face. "Sdop..."

Jake felt dizzy and was starting to sober up, so he decided he'd go up to his room and get some sleep. He walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room. On the last step, he tripped and puked. "Stupid..." He got back up and opened his the door to his bedroom. His head throbbed, his stomach burned, he felt so sick he wanted to kill himself or somebody. He glanced at the cracked mirror on his wall. He had dark circles under his eyes like his mom, and his eyes were practicly black like hers too, but the rest of his face took after his father. "Ass...hole..." He murmered and passed out on his bed. The only thing that was his own was the green hair. He even dyed it himself. A small puddle of drool formed by his lips as he began to dream.

_Neeeew giiiiirl... A sexy blonde is turning to face me, and I will have her. You're mine, Pig Tails. I own you. Don't I? I'll just just gag you oh so nicely. You hate that, don't you? You don't need to say anything, you're screams already do. You look really small there, lying on the floor. I'm so much bigger than you. How about I just take this little pink dress of yours, and I'll beat this lesson in you: There is no love, little girl, you will learn in time. I'll make you learn, Pig Tails._

LILA'S HOUSE

"That's right, Gloria, I'm going out with Arnold." Lila twirled the wire of her old phone around her finger. "And we went on a date, and I kissed him on cheek twice already." She was smiling, but it was a sly smile and her voice was bragging. "Ridiculous, Gloria? Oh, I'm ever so certain it isn't ridiculous. I think you're just... jealous." Lila held the phone between her head and shoulder as she smoothed out her braids with her hands while listening to Gloria talk. "Well, I think you just don't want to admit you have a crush on- hold on, my dad's knocking on the door. Yes, Daddy?"

"You're boyfriend's waiting for you downstairs, Sweety."

"Tell him I'll be right down!" She sighed. "I'll talk to you later, Gloria. Arnold's here. Bye-bye!" Lila put down the phone. She felt really, really bad for using Arnold to make Gloria jealous, but ever since what happened at Spring Break... She smoothed out her braids again and walked to the living room. "Oh, Arnold! I wasn't expecting you to be here. I'm ever so glad, but I was sort of planning to go visit Olga, assuming she came from back from Alaska to visit her family."

Arnold stood up from the couch and welcomed her with a hug. "I'm sorry. Maybe I can come with you? I really wanted to see you today." He rubbed his arm and smiled shyly. 'I still can't believe Lila's my girlfriend.'

"You did?"

"Yeah. I thought about you all night last night and I thought maybe today we could just hang out. But if you're really busy I could come back tomorrow!"

'Poor Arnold.' Lila smiled. "O-okay, of course you could come with me! I'm sure Olga wouldn't mind."

"Great! Let's go!" Arnold grabbed her hand and started walking out the door. "Goodbye, Mr. Sawyer!"

"Goodbye, Arnold." Lila's dad waved as he watched them leave. "Growing up so fast."

"So, um, Lila? I know you don't like my house a whole lot, but since we're, you know, a couple now, my grandma and grandpa want you to come to dinner some night. I know you've been over before, but it was just to study and you didn't get to meet them. They really want to get to know you more. I'd understand if you didn't want to." Arnold nervously rubbed his arm again.

She frowned. "Well, I must say, your house _is_ pretty strange, but I suppose dinner with your grandparents might be nice." Lila remembered the time she went to his house to work on a project, and something or someone had kept pulling her hair. 'It would be impolite to refuse.' She reminded herself as she held back a shudder.

"_Great..._ I mean, great! What night would be good for you?" Arnold hated to admit it, but he was a little ashamed of his non-traditional family. And not just because they weren't all related, but because sometimes, they could get a little... out of control... especially Grandma. And Lila was more of a simple, regular, sweet girl. Arnold wondered if he could handle the embaressment.

"Oh, any old night would be fine. Turn here." She tugged on his hand. Her concious was getting to her and she needed to talk things out with Olga, now. "Arnold, would you mind if we walked a bit faster? I would like to get there oh-so soon. In case... in case Olga's busy."

"Sure, Lila." Arnold smiled and held Lila's hand tighter. "You look pretty today." He blurted and blushed the moment he did. "I mean, you look pretty everyday! But you look really pretty today."

"Oh, Arnold, I'm ever so sure I've been doing the same thing that I always have every morning."

"Really? Because you hair looks extra shiny today. And your eyes... they're so blue! They're like the sky, or an ocean."

Lila blushed and looked at the ground. "Thank you, Arnold, really. But you don't need to flatter me so. It's a little embarassing."

His face turned red. "Oh, sorry. I can't help it, you're just so pretty. I'll... I'll stop." Arnold let go of Lila's hand and rubbed the back of his head. 'I'm making this awkward, what do I do? I've never had a girlfriend before! Well, there was Summer, but she turned out to be using me. I should've seen it, Helga had been right all along. Helga..." Arnold turned his head away from Lila and looked forward again. "She's been pretty quiet all week. Not that I can blame her, and she is talking more, but she's somehow been more... distant. I wonder if she's feeling alright.'

"It's okay," Lila interupted his thoughts, "You look nice today too, Arnold."

"Oh, are you sure? I thought my hair was pretty messy. I mean, it's always sort of messy, but this morning, I tried brushing it and brushing it, but it wouldn't stay neat, so I gave up." Arnold was back in Lila Land as he watched her red-brown braids bounce against her pale green dress. He didn't know why, but green looked really good against her skin.

Lila giggled. "You look fine, silly."

Arnold gave a goofy smile and held her hand again. It was hard to believe that he only liked her when they first met. Even when Lila had said she like-liked him in the fourth grade, he had only thought of her as a friend. And eventually he did grow a crush on her, but then she admitted she stopped like-liking him and he's admired her ever since. Four years... and now they were going out together! It was like Arnold's dream had come true. He drifted off into Lila Land again and the fifteen minute walk felt like five when they finally reached Helga's house.

"Oh, Daddy! It's Lila! Oh, my little sister. Daddy, can I take a teensy break so I can talk to Lila?"

"Of course, Olga. You worked hard, you must've labeled, what, fifteen boxes?"

"Seventeen, Daddy." Olga flashed an award winning smile and ran off.

"Lila?!" Helga dropped the box she was carrying at the door and literally started hitting her head against the wall. "Lila." smack "Olga." smack "Heavy boxes." smack" "Lila." smack "Olga." smack "Heavy boxes." smack 'Wait a minute... if Lila's here... then... is Arnold-?'

"Pick up the pace, Olga, we might have all day, but I want to get out of here! And be careful with those boxes, that better not have your sister's trophies or my stuff in there."

"I. AM. HELGA." She picked the box up again and walked to the back of the moving truck. She clumsily put it down and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "H-E-L-G-A. Say it, Bob. HELGA."

"Stop bugging me. I said Olga, I know my own kid." Bob's cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. "Oh! It's the president of Movie-Electrics. You can finish this up, right?"

"Sure, Bob. Don't mind my broken back, fever, crushed toes, and utter most physical agony. I'll be okay."

"Great, just don't start slacking off. Hello? Ah, yes, Mr. Randolf, good to hear you! How's your family?" He walked out of sight as Helga made it back in the house for another box.

"At least I get your name right." She grumbled. "Well, the last box in the living room, here we go. 'Olga's Amazing Trophies'... perfect." She couldn't tell if she'd ever scowled more intensely in her life as she put her hands on one side of the large box and pushed with the little bit of strength she had left. "Stupid... Bob... moving." She took a breath and switched to using her shoulder. "I... don't... wanna... move..." Shove. "But do I have a choice?" Shove. "Of course not." Shove. "Crimeny, this hurts, but at least I made it to the ramp." Helga rested her head on the box and breathed deeply. All week, she had hardly slept, hardly ate, and now, she could hardly breathe. Every body part mentionable hurt and she felt dizzy and worn out. After a few more breaths she put her hands back on the box and attempted to push it up the ramp. "Olga's here and she's been babying me the whole time, trying to get closer and trying to help out with my emotions. Sure she'll be gone in a couple of days, but she'll just be back in a few months, trying to get close again, talking about how she cares. She doesn't care about getting close with me, she just wants to have a perfect family. We aren't perfect, especially not now. My own mother died a week ago, and here I am, moving boxes heavier than me." Helga groaned and shoved the box a few inches up, but she couldn't hold the weight and it slid back down.

"Need some help?"A familiar voice came from behind.

"Thanks, Arnold. Now where was I?"

"Boxes heavier than you."

"Right, right. And to top it all off, the girl I hate almost as much as my sister is going out with-" Helga's eyes went wide. Her knees gave out and she fell on her butt. "Arnold?!" She shook her head and instantly regretted it. Her head felt hot and her headache worsened. "I mean, what are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be out smooching your girly-girl girlfriend?"

Arnold managed to push the heavy load up the ramp by himself, then sat next to Helga. "She said she wanted to talk to Olga in private, so I thought I'd come see how you're doing."

She threw her fist down on the ramp. "Oh, I'm FINE, just... fine, everything's FINE!" She put her knees up and rested her head on them. She felt her stomach lurch. 'Oh, that's just great, Helga. That'll win Arnold over, just keel over and vomit all over the ground. I'm sure he'll find that sophisticated.'

"You don't look fine. In fact, you look sick. Are you sure you want to be pushing these boxes around?"

"Oh, yeah, Arnold. I dream of doing this. Nevermind the fact that I feel like I could roll over and..." Helga thought over her choice of words, "pass out. Nevermind that my mother died a week ago today, but I'm the one doing all the work! This... is... my... life."

"Helga, I know you're stressed out, but you can't be the only one having a bad time." Arnold put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look around, Arnoldo! Where's my dad?" She turned to him and smacked his hand off her.

"Um..."

"On the phone. Where's Olga?"

"Talking to Lila, but-"

"And where am I, Arnold? Where am I?!"

"Sitting on the ramp of a moving truck and looking like you're about throw up. You're working too hard on yourself, physically and emotionally. Why don't you take a break?"

"Yeah, right, like my blow-hard dad could ever give me a break. Even if he did, I'd just be a 'disappointment'." Helga closed her eyes.

"Helga, I'm sure he'd understand. Look at yourself, you're shaking from exhaustion. You need to stop for a while, and get something to eat. You look like you haven't eaten in days. This isn't healthy."

She put her head up and pointed at him. "Olga donated all our food to a homeless shelter." She snorted. "And stop doing that!"

Arnold frowned. "Stop doing what?"

"Caring all the time! Just leave me alone." Helga turned her back to him and leaned her head on the truck.

'She's shutting me out.' "Maybe you don't act like it, Helga, but you're still my friend and I care about you." Arnold looked offended.

Helga turned back and stared in his eyes. Even after all these years, she was still amazed that no matter what she did or said to that boy, he was always ready to comfort her. "I... I..." She blinked her blank face away and replaced it with the usual scowl. "Well, stop! I don't need your sympathy, Football Head. I just need to get those boxes into that truck so I can get as far away from you as humanly possible."

"Helga, this is ridiculous, just calm down..."

"Calm down?! Calm down?!" Helga turned her head back and sneered. The Hell that is already my life is bubbling over before my eyes and you want me to calm down?!"

Arnold was trying to keep calm himself, for her sake and his own, but she was starting to irritate him. 'Her dad isn't the one keeping Helga from taking a break, it's herself. Why is she working herself this hard? You'd think she'd give herself more time to recover from something like her own mother dying.' Arnold turned his gaze over to Lila and wondered when she'd be done talking to Olga alone. He had to put a hand over his mouth to hide the goofy smile spread across his face.

"Don't you get it?! I HATE you! I hate you, and your... your sensitivity, and your stupid go-lucky, up beat... stupid... GRR! I hate my dad! I hate my sister, I hate my life..." As Helga followed Arnold's gaze, jealosy burned up inside her when she found his target. "And I hate... HATE Lila, and I! HATE! YOU!"

Arnold looked back at Helga and frowned. "Why?"

Helga raised her eyebrow and blinked a few times before glaring again. "Because, Football Head!"

He sighed. "Because why? What has she ever done do you? And for that matter, what have I done?"

"Well, you... you just bug me, okay!"

Arnold lowered an eye lid. "And Lila?"

"Well, she..." 'Took you away from me.' Helga looked down again as she tried to find a reasonable excuse. "...she just...oh, go screw your perfect, prissy pet Liiilaaa. She's probably just using you for something." She glared at Arnold.

"Helga, you're going too far."

"And you're not going at all! I thought I told you leave!"

"Fine, Helga." Arnold stood up. "But I think you're making a mistake. You can't do this on you're own."

It took her a moment to realise Arnold meant moving the boxes as he turned and walked back to Olga and Lila. Helga turned and faced the inside of the truck before pulling out her heart-shaped locket and stroking the picture with her finger. "Oh, my sweet Arnold, you try to soothe this fevered brow, but instead I just push you away. Why, why must I ride myself into this sick and twisted roller-coaster of love and hate? Letting my anger rise only to fall for you more, falling for you more just to lead to another rise of anger... up and down, up and down, up and-" Helga stopped as she felt her stomach threaten to return her morning's half of apple. "Enough monologuing. Maybe I should ask Bob for a break." She put the locket back in her dress and walked down the ramp, glancing up to see Arnold holding Lila's hand and smiling. "Or maybe, if I work hard enough I'll put myself into a coma and never have to see those two together ever again." She groaned and stomped off to the bathroom. "I wonder if the peptobismal's packed yet."

NEW HOUSE

"Okay, so then he says to me, 'Calm down.'" Helga made air quotes, "My head hurts, my arms hurt, my legs hurt, my back hurts... heck, even my eye sockets hurt, and he tells me to 'Calm down.' Could you imagine him being a doctor?! Oh, GOD! Doctor Arnold, help me! My brains are actually oozing out of my skull! What should I do?!' 'Calm down, look on the bright side. At least your brains are still partially still in your head. In fact, I think there is a side to these brains you're actually hiding in your skull. I'm gonna poke and prod at them with my Care-Bear pen until I know them inside and out, and you'll feel better in the morning. Have a lolly.'"

Jake held his sides as he tried to control his laughter. "Wh-where... where do you come up with this crap?!"

Helga made herself go cross-eyed and jabbed her finger in her fore-head. "In ter secret hidey spots in me brain!" Helga bursted out laughing and was close to falling out of the large windowsill in her soon-to-be room.

"Helga!" Jake grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him so their eyes met. She was so close, he could feel her warm breath on his face. "Be careful." He whispered and quickly brushed his lips against hers so lightly it couldn't even be called a kiss. Then he pushed her back to her spot and couldn't help but grin as he watched her face instantly turn red.

"Yeah, I... I..." she nervously rubbed her arm and stared at the ground. "I... guess I sort of... got carried away..." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jake watching her with eyes half closed. 'Why is he looking at me that way? Did he... did we.. be still, my beating heart! No... no, that line's for Arnold... but Arnold... he's with Lila, and Jake...'

"Sooo..." he sat closer to Helga and their legs touched, "this... Arnold guy..."

"...isn't important." Helga looked straight forward into Jakes eyes and felt hot tingles climb up her neck to her ears.

"Good. Because what is important.." He leaned in, almost towering over her, "is that you... and I..." Helga breathing became shallow as Jake moved just centimeters from her face. "get some rest." Jake grinned and ruffled Helga's bangs.

"Wha-what?" She blinked.

Jake pulled away with large grin on his face. "You've been sick today, and you still need to get your stuff for your room over here and unpack tomorrow. And I, painfully loyal to a lovely lady such as yourself, will help."

"But-"

"No! No 'you don't have to's, no 'I can do it', no 'I'll feel better tomorrow', no! I must help you in your time of need!" He winked at Helga and moved back onto the large tree branch outside. "Minus the 'Care-Bear probe'. Goodnight, my fair woman, I bid thee well!" He put both hands on the branch and slid down to a lower one.

Helga mirrored the half-closed eye look as she watched her possible new love climb down. 'Dark stranger named Jake, what petals of love do you spread across my feet? What romantic songs will fallen angels sing at our future, at this very window you may enter at each night? Is it possible that Arnold is not my true love, but you, my very weird, but exotic prince of shadows? Could it be? Could it be?' Helga sighed. "See ya, Darth."

Jake chuckled from below. "Helga," he breathed in an azthma type voice, "I am your neighbor."

"Stop, you sound like Brainy!"

"Oh, I see how it is, first Arnold and now Brainy. Yoouuu whore."

Helga laughed, "Puh-lease! He might be the only kid creepier than you!"

"So, it's a competition now, is it?"

"Tch, yeah right. If I wanted to go insane I'd just lock myself in the room with my sister, Olga. Now, THAT is creepy."

Bob's heavy steps could be heard even two floors below as he stomped around for attention. "GIRLS! It's 8 o'clock, time to go back to our current dump and get some chinese chow and go to beeeed! I am tired!"

Helga glared at her door. "COMING, BOB!" She looked back out the window, but Jake was gone. 'My darkling..." Helga let out another romanticized sigh and left for downstairs.  
-  
T.S. IS B.S.! T.S. IS B.S.!

What the heck are you doing? Besides haveing a conversation with yourself.

Protesting. Tayst Strange is a stupid fifteen year old girl who does nothing, but lie around the house doodling, watching Hey Arnold! episodes, and writing bad fanfic. I want her DOWN! T.S. IS B.S.! T.S. IS B.S.!

But... YOU ARE Tayst.

... (checks self over) So I aaaam... what's your point?!

(Sighs in agony)

Anyways, so, yeah, FINALLY this is done. It's taken me a bit longer to write than the other four chapters, at least I think it has. It feels like it. Seriously, I'd take two hours to write three paragraphs, save, come back, erase half of what I'd written, save, re-write, save, write-write-write, save, erase, save, rewrite... and in the end, I'd have to say I'm content. Tired, but content. Next chapter may or may not be considerabley longer. Random note, I don't care if what Helga wears is a "jumper", I'm calling it a dress. Said and done.

Also: No more suggestions with the plot! Honestly, you guys inspire me with a lot of ideas. A lot. Thusly, I'll have my next chapter in mind, I post, I read reviews, and suddenly the next chapter is changed. In quote of Papa Owl in "I Love to Singa"... "ENOUGH IS TOO MUCH!"

I had more to write, but I forgot what it was. Go figure.

Oh yeah, I was wondering if someone would be interested in reading my chapters before I officially submit them, you know, to check for spelling errors and if something sounds off that I didn't catch. Just asking.

Sincerely,  
VOTE T.S. FOR B.S!  
Peace.

(For those highly sheltered or just as tired as I am, B.S. is bull shit)  
(Oh yeah, and in case you're wondering about where the content of this fanfic is going... no lemon/sex. Sorry for those disappointed. I'm not in the mood)  
(Again, I had something written, but I forgot)  
(Unecessary interuption)


	6. A Stiletto in the Closet

_Dear Diary,_

_I can't be around Helga when I'm high. I'm messed up enough without the meth, but with it I can't even remember most of what I've done. I think I hit Mom. She avoids me as much as I avoid her and she pisses me off sometimes, but I don't think she should go through with me what we both have from my "father", that asshole. But I can't go without it. I always have horrible nightmares, I don't have many friends, it's hard for me to get close to anyone... it sounds stupid in writing, but in reality, it hurts and after a while, a person can only take so much. So I escape. But even if I can't stop hurting Mom, I should at least resist from doing anything to Helga._

_Have I told you about Helga? She has got to be about thirteen or fourteen, so her figure is just starting to come in and she's kind of ugly, but if you look at her the right way, she's kind of pretty too. She's also really sassy, which is a nice break from the usual girls at my school. They're always either way to innocent and sweet or really bitchy and needy, but Helga's some where in between, in a good way. I think she likes this kid named Arnold, but he has another girl so I might have a chance with Helga. I almost kissed her last night; you should have seen her face! She instantly turned to mush, but just as quickly bounced back. I hope she doesn't start getting too romantic with me though. She's an interesting person, let's hope virgin feelings don't get in the way. I wonder if she's a virgin? For that matter, does she smoke? Well, I guess I'll find out sooner or later. _

_Speaking of Helga, I'm going to go help her move in. I see the trucks stopping in front of her house now. Write to you later,_

_Jake_

He quickly read over his just-written entry and crossed out his name. Then he crumpled the note-book page and threw it in the garbage bin. It was a ritual he always did with each page of his "diary". He crossed his name out, because he thought of it as a metaphor for what true happiness seemed to have done to him. Or maybe it was something he had done to himself? Nonetheless, it was cheesy, but left him feeling satisfied. He always threw away the pages afterwords, because if any of the few friends he had found out about his diary, then his reputation would be ruined.

Jake sighed and walked out of his room, down stairs, and out the front door to find himself momentarily blinded. "I hate the sun." He mumbled to himself as he put his hand over his eyes and jogged to get out the warm rays as soon as possible. He sneaked in front of the parked moving truck and looked around the corner. He had to be especially sly from now on, yesterday Olga had caught him flirting with Helga and she shoved him out the door and told him to never come back, because he was a "bad influence."

Jake saw that Helga's dad and older sister were laughing about something, while Helga struggled to carry a box by herself. Jake grinned and moved around the side of the house and silently climbed the large tree. When he neared the top, he reached his arms up for the highest branch, lifted one leg, then wrapped both around the thick limb, and skillfully twisted and pulled himself up. Then he carefully opened the window and laid down on the wide windowsill. His grin widened as Helga kicked open the door looking tired and grumpy. "Oh, back again, are you?" He pretended to examine his fingernails.

Helga dropped the box and returned his grin. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to be living here, Bucko, so get used to it."

"Oh, are you? Darn, I don't know how I'll ever survive your hilarious, yet sharp personality. The charm, the wit, the wonderful stories you might tell... oh, the tragedy of it all." Jake put a hand over his head as if he were about to faint from sarcastic horror.

"All right, that's enough, oh Queen of Drama. You said you'd help me unpack, so unpack! This box is just a bunch of dumb stuffed dolls my parents bought me, so throw the biggest one on the bed for decoration and toss the rest in random corners, but try to fake organization."

"Well," Jake sat up and put his nose in the air. "If you're going to be that way about it, I'll be leaving."

"Fine then. Go." Helga crossed her arms and mumbled, "Drama Queen."

"Okay." He acted like he was going to head back home, even though he had no intentions of actually doing so.

"All right, fine," she threw her arms in the air and stared at the ceiling, "_please_, unpack the dumb dolls for me."

"That's more like it." Jake walked across the room for the box as he watched Helga walk back downstairs. "Where are you going?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"To get more boxes, doi!"

Jake shook his head and ripped the tape off the flaps of the box, still smiling. "She isn't half bad."

SUNSET ARMS

"So, Lila, how's tomorrow night for dinner at my house?" Arnold twirled his finger around the phone wire and smiled. Grandpa gave him a thumbs up before running up stairs for the bathroom. A small chuckle escaped him. "Oh, no, Lila, I'm not laughing at you, just... well, anyways, that's great. I'll see you tomorrow then." Arnold smiled dreamily. "I love you." No one would ever know how great it felt for him to say those words.

Lila hesitated, but Arnold was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice. "You too. Bye, Arnold."

She hung up and Arnold looked at his own phone, disappointed that he wasn't able to hear her say the exact words to him, but he shrugged it off when he heard the doorbell ring.

"Be careful, Kimba. Never let your guard down for a second!" Arnold turned around only to see Grandma equipped with a fly swatter and wearing a safari hat. "It just might be a trap..." She kept her voice low as her eyes glanced around for a fly to pounce on.

Arnold walked over to the door and opened it. "Relax, Grandma, it's just Gerald."

"Hold your guard, watch your enemy, and STRIKE!" She smacked the wall, missing the buzzing insect, and ran in the kitchen after it. Arnold turned back to his friend and sighed.

"Hey, Arnold. Wanna come out and play some ball with the guys? I got a new mitt!"

"No thanks, Gerald. I'm going to stay inside today."

"Well, can I come in then? It is getting hot out here and some shade would be nice." Gerald wiped his face with his sleeve, even though he wasn't even sweating.

"Sure, come in." Arnold pulled the door open wider and turned back to realize he left the phone off the hook. He walked over and put the receiver back on its hinges.

"So, what are you stayin' in for, Man? Summer's out and you should be too!"

"I want to try and clean the boarding house up a bit before Lila comes over."

"Lila's coming over?"

"Yeah, tomorrow, after the last day of school. She's gonna have dinner with us."

Gerald raised an eyebrow. "With the boarders."

"Well," Arnold looked down at the floor and rubbed his arm. "Yeah. Why?"

"Arnold, can we talk in your room?"

"Sure." Arnold headed up the staircase and Gerald followed behind, shaking his head. After a few minutes they made it up to Arnold's door and went inside.

Gerald was the first to break the silence. "Let me get this straight... Lila... is coming tomorrow... for dinner... with you, your grandparents, and the boarders?!"

"Oh, come on, it won't be that bad. What could happen?"

As if on cue, Grandpa slammed opened Arnold's door. "Wooh! Don't go in the bathroom for a while, it's a gas chamber in there! Let me tell you boys, never eat raspberries! Oh, and hey Arnold, when is your little girlfriend coming over? The one with the braids who smiles all time?"

"Her name's Lila, Grandpa and she's coming tomorrow night."

"Perfect! That'll give me time to lock Pookie in the basement so we can order some real food!" He rubbed his hands together at the thought of Chinese takeout.

"En garde!"

"Speak of the devil-" Arnold winced as Grandma smacked Grandpa with her trusty fly-swatter.

"Take that, you buzzing fiend!"

"Pookie, I'm not a fly, I'm your husband!"

"Oh, well, never mind then." She turned around and humbly walked down the ladder steps.

"You bet 'never mind'; and put that thing away before you hurt somebody else!" Grandpa rubbed his bald head and turned back to Arnold. "Should I set an extra plate at the table for Gerald?"

"Uh, no thanks Phil. I'm good." Gerald answered instead.

"Suit yourself. I don't blame you." He turned around and closed the door behind him.

Arnold glanced over at Gerald's "I-told-you-so" face and turned away. "Okay, so maybe they aren't perfect, but they're family and it might be good to-"

"Arnold." Gerald folded his arms.

"Okay, okay, but that just gives me more of a reason to at least make the place look nice, so help me get started with my closet." He slid the closet door open and started pulling stuff off the shelf.

"The closet?! Arnold, she's coming over for dinner, not a house inspection. What would she be doin' in the closet?" Gerald's face turned sly, "Or maybe I should be asking what 'you two' will be doing in there, huh?" He elbowed Arnold.

"Cut it out! Nothing like that is going to happen. Just help me organize this thing?"

He groaned and walked over to his buddy. "Whatever you say, Arnold, whatever you say."

"Hey, look, our old kite!"

"You _still_ have that thing?"

"Yeah. I've been meaning to make it fly for a while now."

"Face it, Arnold. That thing doesn't fly and it ain't never going to fly." Gerald randomly reached for something on the shelf and pulled down a red, high-heeled shoe. "Um... Arnold... is there something you've forgotten to tell me?" He put it in front of Arnold's face.

He looked over and almost blushed as he snatched the shoe away. "That's Cecile's!"

"Cecile?" Gerald put a hand on his hip. "Which one was she?"

"What do you mean, which one was she? I've only like-liked..." Arnold searched his memory, "five girls. Ruth, that substitute teacher back in third or fourth grade, Cecile, Summer, and Lila."

"Oh, yeah, wasn't Cecile your pen pal from France?" Gerald paused for a moment. "Wait, _you kept her shoe_?!"

"Yeah... well no, well... remember, I was on that date with Ruth and the girl I thought was Cecile? But then I decided I liked Cecile instead of Ruth, so I went to call it off with Ruth, but the fake Cecile saw me with Ruth and stomped out and threw her shoes on the ground, and then the real Cecile came and you told her you were Arnold and then you two went for burgers and I stayed with the fake Cecile?" Gerald nodded as if he understood Arnold, even though he really didn't and was slightly confused. "Well, I was helping her pick up her shoes, but we started talking and she forgot to get this one, so I ended up with it. At the time, it was the most romantic moment in my life, so I kept it. You know, for memories. I was even kind of hoping I'd see her again."

Gerald blinked several times before erasing his blank look. "Man, Arnold, you are some lover boy. Did you ever find out who she really was?"

"Nope. I remember our conversation though. I still can't believe Ruth turned out to be such a flake. I wonder if she still thinks about me."

"Uh, Arnold, I don't think Ruth ever thought about you in the first place. No offense."

"No, I meant Cecile. She was so mysterious, but also nice and interesting. I could really talk to her and, somehow, I felt like I knew her."

Gerald raised his eyebrows. "Hey Arnold? Before you get in too deep wondering about Cecile, YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND AND SHE'S COMING FOR DINNER AT YOUR WACKY HOUSE TOMORROW NIGHT!"

Arnold shook his head. "Right, thanks Gerald."

"No problem, Man."

Arnold put the shoe back on top on the shelf and began to organize the rest, while Gerald found a few boxes at the bottom and started putting random things in them. However, they eventually realized that nothing wanted to fit when it was organized, so they just shoved everything back in and decided to work on the room and the kitchen. By evening they had done a pretty good job, and Grandpa even payed them a few bucks for their work. Then, Gerald said goodbye, scheduled a ball game for Thursday, and left for home. Arnold ate his dinner, took a shower, and got ready for bed.

'Maybe I should get some flowers from Mrs.Vitello for the table tomorrow? No, no, too fancy. Got to keep it simple.' Arnold thought to himself as he plugged in his favorite potato clock and yawned. 'I just hope no one tries to embarrass me while Lila's over.' He climbed into bed and pressed a button on his remote to turn off the lights. Then he pulled the covers to his shoulders and closed his eyes, almost instantly falling asleep.

_Soft violin music is playing... cobblestone streets... where is she? Where is she? "Hello, Arnold! I'm ever so sorry I'm late!" There she- Cecile? You don't talk that way, Lila does. Where's Lila? "I'm ever so sorry..." You're... changing? Into Lila? Lila, there you are! I've been waiting... it's so wonderful to be holding your hand. ...the scenery is changing to lush grass... here we are, me sitting next to you. Lila, you're so beautiful. "Thank you, Arnold. You're so handsome and cute, and ever so charming!" No, really, Lila. Your soft red hair in such perfect braids, the way your blue eyes sparkle in the sun... "Oh, Arnold!" Your giggle is so adorable... Lila... I feel so nervous. Butterflies are in my stomach, but I have to say it... I love you. I love you with all my heart. "I love you too, Arnold!" Lila! I'm so happy! I love you, I love you! I could just kiss you... I have to ... so close to your lips... so close... "Hey Arnold!" ...Lila? "Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold!"_

"Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey-"

Arnold blushed as he quickly pulled out the wire for the alarm and cursed his favorite clock. "I was so close..." He mumbled.

HILLWOOD JR. HIGH

'Last day, and I'm moving. I've got to be nice to Arnold today, I've got to!' Helga thought to herself at lunch. She looked over her shoulder and watched Lila hold hands with Arnold. 'Then again...' Helga growled and looked back at her un-eatened sandwich. She narrowed her eyes and glared at it, as if it were the sandwichs fault, and began smooshing it with her fist.

"Hello, Helga. How are you feeling? You haven't been eating lately and it's made me quite worry some. I'm terribly sorry for the recent events that have happened to you. You'll need as much strength as possible to better cope with them. I'm afraid that distorting your food every lunch hour will not entirely benefit you." Phoebe put down her lunch tray and started eating her salad.

Helga looked up at her best friend and sighed. "That's okay, Pheebs. I'll eat when I get home."

Phoebe swallowed the salad in her mouth and continued the conversation. "Please excuse me, but you've been saying that every day for the past few weeks, and by now you look rather pale and fatigued. Weak, even. I'm starting to believe that you're failing to keep your word. I'm only saying this, because I'm concerned for your well-being."

Helga pounded her sandwich again. "Just forget about it, okay?!"

"Forgetting." Phoebe took another bite of salad.

"So," Helga tried to keep her mind off of Arnold. She was having mixed feelings between him and Jake. Arnold had always been her love, her muse, her passion, and the only thing that kept her sane. Yet, at the same time, he didn't see her as anything more than a friend, if even that, and he probably didn't believe or even remember her confession on FTi. Meanwhile, Jake was doing everything she'd wished Arnold would do, and he wasn't such a perfect, go getter, optimist. However, she needed a go-getter optimist. She needed Arnold. But Arnold didn't need her. And Jake did, or at least showed signs of wanting to. 'Oh,' she thought, 'what is a girl to do?!'

Helga blinked out of her thoughts to find Phoebe waving her hand in front of her face.

"Oh, what?"

"You were starting to say something, but then fell into a blank stare. Is there something on your mind?" Phoebe put her hand down and watched Helga with worry in her eyes.

"Nothing, I just... I..." Phoebe continued to stare at her with concern and interest. Helga sighed and decided she couldn't keep this from her best friend... but that didn't mean she'd have to tell her everything either. "Well, not that anything like this is actually going on... per say... but, what if I had a certain... obsession with someone or something..."

"Ice cream?" Phoebe had used this word before in reference to Arnold. Helga might not ever admit her infatuation with Arnold out loud, but Phoebe had known her for so long that Helga didn't really need to.

"Right, right, ice cream... and let's say that ice cream never felt the same way about me. On the other hand, I started having a new obsession..."

"A new obsession?" Phoebe said with surprise.

"Did I stutter?" Helga slammed her sandwich again, which by now had a huge hole in the middle and was almost split in two.

"Sorry, so...this new obsession..." Phoebe tried to think of a random object, "cabbage?"

Helga lifted her eyebrow. "Cabbage, what the- sure, yeah, cabbage... now shut up so I can tell you."

"Shutting up."

"Okay, so I've had a passion over... ice cream for a long time now, a long time. But ice cream never felt the same way. I mean, sometimes it would seem like he... it did, but most of the time it had feelings for someone else. Then out of no where, I meet cabbage, and he... I mean, it starts feeling for me the way ice cream should've. So now, I'm starting to like cabbage, but I still have some feelings for Ar-... Ar... are we running out of lunch time so soon?, hoo boy, I'd better hurry this up! So, I still have feelings for ice cream and it's hard for me to suddenly change my feelings for the cabbage I just met, but I'm kind of falling for cabbage fast and the more I think about it the more it seems like cabbage is the guy for me, instead of ice cream, like I'd thought all along. So... what do you think I should do?" Helga nervously rubbed her hands together and hoped Phoebe had understood her without getting suspicious.

"Well," she had finished the last bite of salad and put her fork down. "Maybe, you should think about whether cabbage is worth giving up ice cream for, and decide which is the better option. Is this cabbage a person I don't know?"

"Yeah, his name's Jake." Helga blurted out but quickly slapped her hand over her face, then she took a deep breath and calmed down. What did she have to worry about? It was Phoebe, her best friend. And if anything did happen between Helga and Jake, people would eventually find out anyways.

"Maybe I should meet cabbage... I mean, Jake, before you make your decision." Phoebe paused and wondered if, ironic to previous thoughts, this would be the day she would know for a fact that Helga loved Arnold. Even if it was obvious, she thought it felt great that someone as secretive as Helga could confide in her. "Helga, before I do, maybe you should tell me who ice cream is?"

Helga turned around and stole a glance at her childhood love and looked back at Phoebe. It was one thing to admit something like this out loud to herself, but to someone else... but who knew? Maybe it would make her feel better to let it out; like when she saw that shrink a few years back. Then again... "What does it matter? Isn't it all the same?"

Phoebe looked hurt. "No, Helga, it isn't. What if I happened to guess?"

Helga looked down at the wounded sandwich and nodded. "But keep quiet, Pheebs, no one needs to know this."

"Could it be that ice cream is..." She leaned in and whispered as softly as possible, "Arnold?"

Even though she half expected it, her eyes still went wide at the name being spoken, let alone on the first guess. "M-maybe, maybe not... crimeny, Pheebs, is it that obvious?"

"In a way, Helga, yes, but you shouldn't worry too much, I don't think anyone else notices." She smiled. 'Unfortunately, not even Arnold himself.'

'That's right,' she thought, 'I never told her about my confession...' "Good, let's keep it that way. But until anything officially happens, they're cabbage and ice cream, got it?! And Pheebs, this conversation never happened."

"Forgetting!"

Helga turned around to steal another glance at Arnold. As Lila moved in for a kiss jealousy burned in Helga's stomach even more than hunger. She was about to turn back, when she noticed that Arnold looked as if he expected a kiss on the lips, but instead Lila moved toward his cheek. 'What the...?' Lila moved away; and between the couple Gerald looked up and caught Helga's stare. Her face changed from confused to threatening as she growled and lifted a fist and shook it. Gerald rolled his eyes and Helga, satisfied with her cover, turned around and faced Phoebe again, who was now drinking her juice. Helga took a bite out of half of her ruined sandwich disdainfully and forced herself to swallow it.

A few minutes later, the bell rang and everyone cleared out of the cafeteria for home, since the last day of school was a half day. Helga hastily said goodbye to Phoebe, mumbled a few garbled words about calling when the phone was hooked up, and grabbed her book bag full off all the stuff from her locker. Then she ran ahead of everyone in the crowd and ducked behind the nearest trash can outside the school in order to get a moment of privacy. Helga pulled out her locket, still holding Arnold's picture, and thought about her talk with Phoebe. "Okay..." She closed her eyes and breathed heavily, "Arnold, this is the last day of school, and unless I play my cards... our cards right, it might even be the last day of you and me. Oh, why did Bob choose to move me so far away from you? Why?" The front doors to Hillwood Jr. High burst open and a crowd of students flooded out. The most important one being Arnold. "Here it is. The moment of truth." Helga closed her eyes and pulled her locket closer to her. "I'll just pull you aside and announce my love. I'll pour my heart and soul out, bold and straight forward. No tricks, no stammers, just you and me. I'll say, 'Arnold, I love you, I always have, and Lila is not the girl for you, I am!' and you'll hold me and say-"

"Helga?"

She turned around and looked straight into the most beautiful pair of green eyes. "Arnold!"

"Who are you talking to?" Arnold looked confused as he threw away an empty packet of gum.

'This is it, the moment of truth! Spit it out, spit it out!' Helga took a deep breath. "Arnold, I... I have something I need... something I need..." She was so nervous that she forgot all about her grip on the locket and wouldn't have even noticed it drop if the sound of glass crashing against the cement hadn't interrupted her. Her eyes went wide as she looked down at the back of the gold heart and before she could even snap into reality to pick it up, Arnold was reaching for it.

"Oh no, Helga, your locket!" He carefully grabbed the locket and turned it around to see a smiling picture of himself. A look of confusion and near horror spread across his face. He lifts his eyes to Helga's brown ones and showed her the broken treasure in his hand. "What is this?"

"I... I... I... I, well, I... just...I..." She mumbled, unable to speak.

"Helga, what is this?" He repeated, looking back to his picture.

"I-love-you." She blurted it out as one word and instantly covered her mouth, regretting the slip. 'Why did I say that?! Why did I have to say that?!"

Arnold's face is now full horror and he looks over to see Lila and Gerald walk towards him. "I can't do this." He thrusts the locket back to her and starts to back away.

"Arnold!" Helga reaches a hand out to him, but he only increases his pace.

"I'm sorry, Helga, but this... this is crazy. I just like you, Helga... as a friend, and... I can't do this." Arnold turned away and jogged to his friends, leaving Helga falling to her knees, close to crying. She shut her eyes and tried to choke down the pain. Arnold's words and face haunted her mind and she tried to block them away, but couldn't. Minutes feel like torturous hours as Helga breathes deeply, trying to control herself. Finally she opened her eyes to the broken locket in her hand. She pulls out the remaining shards of glass and accidentally cuts herself in the process. She crumples the picture of Arnold and throws it away, then shoves the locket in her book bag to avoid the inscription written inside. Helga sighed deeply and felt her whole body shudder as she slowly stood up and walked over to the curb, where she sat back down and hugged her knees. By now everyone has left. She was alone. But Helga's sorrow turned to hate as she waited for Olga to come and drive her to the new house. To her new life. One without Arnold.

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Author's Note: Yay, new chapter! Sorry it didn't have the kissing scene some of you had hoped for, but I know the next one will. Because I'm writing it! This is chapter is longer. I don't have much to write this time. Thank you so much for the reviews and Story Alerts and everything.

Also, thank you to my editor! Yes, now I have an editor! We all know I've been needing one.

-T.S.


	7. Putting Food Off the Table

The first thing Helga did when she got home from school was take her pink book from her bag and attempt at writing a hate poem. Arnold had always inspired her before, but those had been love poems. Helga always wrote what she felt inside, but right now her feelings were rotten and sour, and so became her words.

"Ugh... NO!" Helga ripped the page out of her book, crumpled it up, and flung it at the small trash bin in the corner of her room. It bounced off the side and landed amongst the other crumpled pages thrown to the floor. She pulled on her pig tails in frustration, groaned as loud as possible, clicked her purple pen about a million times, then started scratching down words again.

Arnold, once my love, but now my hate  
Burning down the dreams you onced create  
My shattered heart of gold and glass  
Now you're just a pain in the

She glared at the page and growled. She scratched out the words with her pen until she nearly ripped a hole through the page, and began writing again. "I... hate... you... Arnold. I... hate... Arnold... I hate... ARNOLD! I... HATE... ARNOLD!!!" She pulled out another page and threw it across the room. She was about to make one last attempt, but noticed she was on the last page. Instead, she picked up the book by one end and the bag it came from.

Stomping out her room and downstairs, she walked over to a box that had been cleverly labeled "Helga's Old Junk-Put in Attic" so that no one would bother to open it. (Not surprisingly enough, no one asked questions and its contents were kept secret.)

She opened up the flaps to reveal all of her volumes of poetry, parts of her shrine (since it wouldn't fit as a whole), the shoe she wore when she pretended to be Cecile, and everything else related to her former love. Helga threw the book to the floor and reached in her bag for her now broken locket. While pulling it out, the inscription inside caught her eye. _Arnold my soul, you will always be in my heart. Love, Helga G. Pataki._ "Yeah, right." Helga threw it in the box and picked up her book again. "And you, wretched thing of evil. The product of my beating heart and soul in vain. May you be the last." With that, she threw it in with her past and she stormed back into her room where Jake waited for her on the windowsill. Helga didn't bother looking at him, instead she just flopped on her bed and buried her face in a pillow.

"What's wrong?" Jake jumped onto the floor. His boots made thudding noises as he walked to the bed and sat next to Helga.

She only groaned in reply.

"Helga, I realize that I've only known you for a few weeks, but you aren't the type of person who looks that depressed for just any reason." He put a hand on Helga's shoulder and she flinched, but didn't pull away.

"Leave me alone." She grabbed the blanket and pulled it over her head. Helga felt as Jake moved off the bed and instantly regretted telling him to go, fearing that he was actually obeying. She peeked from under the blanket and saw the goth boy walk to her bedroom door and lock it. "When the heck-"

"I put it in while you were at school. I thought you might want it. I'm locking your door in case your dad or sister hears me, but now we're avoiding the subject. I'm not leaving until I'm sure that you feel better. Now please, tell me what's going on." He walked back to Helga's bed and sprawled next to her.

She poked her head from under the blanket and looked at Jake. He gave a worried, but assuring smile which she returned before burying her face back into the pillow. "It doesn't matter, I'm fine."

Jake let out a small laugh and put his arm around Helga. "Oh, come here, you big liar. Do you really think I'd believe that?" He kissed the top of her head and she looked back at him with tired, brown eyes.

"There was this boy at my school... he... I..." She shook her head. "Just forget about it."

Jake looked over her with sad eyes. "He hurt you, didn't he?" Helga groaned again and tried to push him away, but he only held tighter. "He's lucky, you know."

Helga stopped and looked him in the eyes. "Why would you say that?"

"Because," Jake smiled again, "he must've meant a lot to you. Whatever he did to be able to hold your heart in his hand... but he didn't deserve it."

She sighed deeply. "No, Arnold's not like that, he-"

"Helga, I don't know what he did to you, but he was close to you and instead of cherishing it, he used it to hurt you."

"You don't understand, he... I loved him for a long time, but he loves Lila and my locket broke... he picked it up and saw his picture in it and freaked out. He dumped me." She closed her eyes. "Twice."

"Twice?"

Helga nodded, then sat up and pointed a finger in Jake's face, suddenly scowling. "This conversation never happened, Bucko. Why should you care so much, anyways?!"

Jake blinked a few times at the sudden mood swing, then blushed slightly and looked at the ceiling, pretending to be bashful. "...Maybe I'm just a little jealous... you've known this Arnold kid for a long time and you care about him so much, I just met you and I probably don't mean much to you..."

"But why would you want to be close to someone like me?" Helga desperately tried to make herself seem angry, but her voice had wavered. She was feeling sick again, from malnourishment or heartache, she didn't know which.

Jake started rubbing the back of his neck. "Because... maybe I like you a lot... maybe more than a friend should..."

Helga's face softened and she wondered if she could actually trust him. "Really? I mean, how do I know you aren't lying?"

He looked back at her and smiled. "Would Arnold do this?" Jake leaned over and pressed his lips firmly against Helga's.

Her eyes went wide and she blushed until her cheeks matched the color of her dress as the shock of Jake kissing her hit like Cupid's arrow to the heart. Helga whimpered as she closed her eyes and began to kiss him back. While a tiny voice inside her mind critiqued that it wasn't the familiar spark she felt from kissing Arnold, she threw back that at least this time, she wasn't only kissing but also being kissed and she threw her arms around Jake's neck. He put his own arms around her waist and pulled her tight, giving the lip-lock one last moment before pulling away with a smile on his face.

"Feeling better?" He grinned.

"Oh, maybe a little." Helga teased and rested her head on his chest. She listened to his heart gradually go from racing to softly beating. Her breath became slow and shallow as all of her recent troubles, her stress, her pain seemed to melt away, and for the first time since Miriam's death she felt at peace. This was what she needed, what she wanted all her life: to be loved. And now, she had it.

SUNSET ARMS

"Okay! Everybody, just please, sit down at the table and... be normal. Lila's going to be here any minute now..." Arnold nervously scratched his head, repeatedly telling himself that he had nothing to worry about. 'Please don't embarrass me, pleeaase don't embarrass me...'

"Now, tell me again why we have to be all polite and charming?" Ernie pulled out a chair and hoisted himself up in it.

"Because Arnold's little girlfriend is coming over for dinner, that's why!" Grandpa rolled his eyes.

"Well, I hope she doesn't eat too much food. I am a growing man and I work hard, I need to eat a lot, eh heh heh."

"Oh, Oscar!" Suzie shot her husband a scolding look.

"What? Little girls should not be eating so much or they will get fat, like Mr. Hyunh."

"Oscar, you are lazy! If any one is fat, it is you! You are paper boy, you do not do real work like every one else and you sit in house all day, living off of your wife! I can not believe it!"

"Everyone, just please, be nice to each other for once." Arnold tried to stop the argument before it started. Tingles edged through his ears at the sound of the doorbell.

"Well, that must be your girlfriend, Short Man, you better go answer the door."

He nodded and ran out of the dining room. He took a deep breath, smoothed out his sweater, and opened the door. "Oh, hi Lila, what a surprise!" Arnold mentally slapped himself.

Lila blinked a few times before answering. "But... you invited me..."

"Oh, right, stupid me. Um, the dining room is over this way, come on in." Arnold grabbed her hand and pulled her to where everyone was now sitting at. He gave Lila a nervous smile as he pulled out a chair for her, then sat down himself. "These are the boarders. Mr. Potts, Mr. Hyunh, Mr. Kokashka, and Mrs. Kokashka. That's my grandpa and my grandma is-"

"Howdy, partners! Steak, beans, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy comin' your way!"

Lila raised her eyebrows as the old woman came in wearing a ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots, complete with spurs. She wasn't sure what was shocking her more, the fact that Arnold's grandma thought she was a genuine cow-girl or that no one else seemed to noticed or care. "Arnold, is she... all right?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, she's always like this. After a while, you just get used to it." He smiled, hoping she didn't think his house was weird.

"So, Lila," The short, balding man -Mr. Potts- leaned on the table and started talking to her. "What kind of things are you interested in?"

"Opera, plays, dancing, those sort of things. What I really love is ballet."

"Really? I don't know if Arnold has told you this, but I'm in the demolition business and sometimes I think of it as one big ballet. I pull the lever, and that big, beautiful, wrecking ball sways to one side, then sways to the other, and BAM!" Lila jumped. "Bricks go dancing everywhere."

"Well, th-that's one way a thinking of it." She didn't really see any connection, but the man was passionate and she could at least relate to that.

"Some beans for the lil' lady?" Before Lila could say no, Arnold's grandma took a large scoop from the pot she was holding and slopped it on her plate. "How about you, Tex?"

"Sure. Thanks, Grandma."

"That's 'Thank you, Ma'am' to you, Sunny. Once a cowboy, always a cowboy." Grandma grumbled and moved around to Mr. Kokashka.

"Ernie," Grandpa groaned, "Arnold's trying to impress his little girlfriend tonight, now how do you expect him to do that with you boring her to death with your demolition stories?"

Arnold blushed and looked at Lila.

"Oh, no, that's okay, Mr... Mr... Arnold's Grandfather."

"Grandfather? Well, that's just terrible! You're Arnold's girlfriend, aren't ya? Call me Arnold's Grandpa."

"Yes, yes! I would like to hear more about Lila and ballet. Do you dance or just go to the shows?"

Lila felt a little relieved talking to Mr. Hyunh. Somehow, he seemed more normal than the the rest. "Both. I love dancing ever so much! It really hurts your feet, but ballet is so beautiful, and in the end, I think it's worth it."

"Oh, good for you! I can never do ballet. It is too girly. I used to go to ballet shows and plays when I was a young man and first came to America. I starred in a few plays too. I-"

Oscar interrupted, "Okay, enough about you, back to ballet. You dance ballet? That must mean you should not eat so much food so you can stay light. So why don't you give me some of your food to help you stay slim? Eh he." He rubbed his hands greedily.

"Oh, Oscar, stop begging. Can't you behave for just one night? We have a guest over, for Pete's sake." Suzie elbowed her husband.

Arnold grumbled and looked back at Lila. "I'm sorry. They're good people, really, they're just a little... eccentric, is all. They mean well, honest."

"Oh, that's okay, Arnold." She picked at her food and began eating the mashed potatoes.

Arnold pretended to start eating his food too, but still watched Lila. She had seemed distant lately, and he wondered if something might be wrong. He hoped she wasn't having second thoughts about him.

"Kokashka, you are a lazy bum, you hear me? A bum!"

"I am not a bum. I am a hard working man and I have Suzie."

"Guys..." Arnold tried to calm everyone down.

"Oscar, you're a bum and a cheat and everyone knows it!" Grandpa pounded his fist on the table.

"Hey, Grandpa, do not hit the table at me!"

"I'm not your grandpa, so stop calling me that!"

"Okay, but stop yelling! Look, I can pound the table too!"

"Guys..." Arnold repeated, but no one listened and before he could do anything Oscar accidentally hit his fork and potatoes flew into Mr. Hyunh's face.

"Oh, did you see that?! Oscar, I get you for that!" Mr. Hyunh took a spoon full of beans and, meaning to hit Oscar, missed and hit Suzie. "Oh dear! Mrs. Kokaska, I am so sorry!"

At first, she looked angry, but then a smile spread over her face as she scraped the beans off her face. Ernie was next to get hit, and both Arnold and Lila watched in horror as the food war was introduced by Grandma standing on the table and yelling, "Get your pies for the great pie fight!"

"GUYS!" Arnold shouted and was answered with a ball of mashed potatoes to the head.

"Sorry, Short Man, I was aiming for your girlfriend."

Lila squealed as a piece of steak flew by her head. She backed out of her chair so quickly that it and she fell over.

"Lila, wait!" Arnold backed out his own chair and ran to her. They both received some peas to the shoulder and head, and Lila pushed Arnold away. She ran out of the dining room and out the door, Arnold following behind her. "Lila!"

She stopped and turned around, but didn't look at him. "Arnold, I-"

"I'm so, so sorry. If I knew this would happen I would never have brought you over. I'm really sorry, I just... I... please, don't leave me. I love you, if we could just pretend this night never happened..."

"Arnold," she sighed. "Forget about it. Forget it ever happened. I'll see you later."

"I love you, Lila." The young boy blurted as he usually did when the two had tension between them, and he really wished he would stop. Whenever he did, it always seemed to make her more uncomfortable instead of relieved.

Lila hesitated, then turned back. "You too, Arnold." she mumbled before walking for home, while wiping various foods off of her casual green dress.

Arnold sighed and walked back in the house to find everyone with their eyes on him.

"We're awfully sorry, Arnold-" Ernie started to apologize, but Arnold interrupted him.

"I thought you could be normal for one evening. Just one evening. At least, for me. But I guess I was wrong."

"Oh, Arnold..." Suzie began, but was silenced by the angry boy's glare.

He groaned and walked upstairs. When he reached his room, the first thing he did was close the door behind him and turn off all the lights. The evening was young and the sun was still up, so it didn't really make that much of a difference. Arnold groaned as he brushed the peas out of his hair. 'Might as well be Helga's spitballs.' He thought to himself and froze instantly. 'Helga.' _I love you._ The memory of her scared and shocked stare crashed into his mind. _I just like you._ His own voice haunted him and Lila's own voice mirrored it. _As I've told your over and over, I don't like you-like you, I just like you._ Arnold walked over to his bed and flopped down on it. _I love you._ Helga's voice repeated in his mind. _I can't do this._ Why couldn't he have said something better? _I love you, Lila_. Arnold shut his eyes tight. _You too, Arnold._ Her voice had sounded so bleak...

Arnold took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind of the haunting comparisons. Lila had just been upset. They both had been upset, everyone had just been upset and that was all there was to it. Lila was Arnold's girlfriend and they loved each other. That was all that mattered. Arnold forced himself to smile.

They loved each other. That was all that mattered.

JAKE'S HOUSE

"Wooh! Score! In your face, Grass Hair Boy!" Helga put the Nintendo64 controller on the floor and pointed a finger at Jake..

"Oh, yeah? You just watch out for round two, Pig Tails." He threatened with a grin on his face.

"More like round 372. Which, I will so beat you at." She rubbed her finger nails on her dress as if she were bathing in glory.

"Whatever, you've only beaten me twelve out of... something-or-other amount of times."

"Something-or-other amount of times? Yeah, you're a great score keeper."

"Whatever! I'm kicking your ass." He rolled his eyes.

"No, you aren't. Besides, I'm getting tired of this game." Helga turned the system off and stretched out her legs. After cuddling at her house and nearly falling asleep a few times, the couple -yes, couple- decided to walk to Jake's. There, they had just played video games for three hours straight and were now very sore from sitting on the floor.

"Soooo, do you have any plans on revenge?" Jake said, standing up and having a stretch too.

"Revenge?" Helga raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, you know, on that Arnold kid."

"Oh, yeah. I hadn't even thought of him since you came over." She smiled, even though a part of her was feeling depressed all over again. She had managed keep Arnold out of her mind completely until now, and she really wished Jake hadn't brought him up.

"Good, but I still say we should teach him a lesson for hurting you so much."

Helga looked over at him with a mischievous grin. "What kind of revenge do you have in mind?"

LILA'S HOUSE

"Yes, is Gloria there?" Lila was sitting on her floor with the phone pressed against her ear. "Oh, she's not." Her voice was sad and stressful. "Please tell her I called. Thank you. Bye." She hung up and spread out on the carpet. Her hair was still wet from her shower and she was dressed in her favorite fuzzy, blue robe. 'How much longer can I do this? Maybe I should just tell Gloria the truth. Tell Arnold the truth and get this whole thing over with. I don't know how much longer I can keep up with this charade.' Lila picked the phone up again and dialed Arnold's phone number. _I love you, Lila._

The phone rang several times before Arnold's voice answered. "Hello?"

Lila slammed the receiver down. 'Poor Arnold. Why must he love me ever so much? What have I done?' She pictured the look on Arnold's face when she left his house. _Please don't leave me._ 'Maybe I can still tell Gloria how I feel, but I can't hurt Arnold, not when he cares this much. Maybe if I just act disinterested enough, he'll dump me.' Lila eyes widened and she smiled at this new idea. 'I've got to get Arnold to dump me. That way no one is hurt!'

Lila stood up and walked to the radio sitting on her oak-wood dresser. She turned it on and classical music instantly filled the room. Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes and imagined herself waltzing with Gloria. In her imagination, they were dancing on a marble floor. Lila wore a sea-green gown and diamonds; Gloria, a salmon-pink one and pearls. Moonlight came in through large windows and they danced together looking like princesses. They held a kind of love only they shared, only they knew. It was their secret, their connection, their passion. Lila and Gloria.

She opened her eyes to the clock reading 9:37. She deeply sighed and turned off her lamp, then climbed into bed. All she had to do was become as uninteresting to Arnold as possible and she would be free. She smiled at the seemingly flawless plan, not taking into mind that Arnold never gave up on people and always tried to fix problems.

Always.

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Author's Note: First thing I'd like to say before I forget, is that I'm proud of Grandma's line "Get your pies for the great pie fight!" I don't know how many of you have seen Blazing Saddles, but the line is from there and it's a great movie. Even if you hate Western's as much as I do, (seriously, I can't go through one with out groaning ridiculously loud at least three or four times) the movie is very funny. I'd tell you what it's about, but I started to and the paragraph was getting ridiculously long. So, pm me or just look it up if you want to know what it's about.

I already have the next chapter about a third written, so I'll be working on that and you should have it in maybe a week or a week and a half, but don't angsty if it ends up being later!

Last but not least, an apoligy for taking so long. Do I really have to say sorry? I'm not sure, but I feel obliged.

This chapter feels a little short to me, but whatever.

-T.S.


	8. First Strike

Note:(Forgive me if it's horribley, completely, and utterly obvious I have never seen this type of gun in my life. Sorry, but please just go with it.)

"I don't know about this..." Jake looked at Helga as they sat in the back of his mom's car. Despite the fact that he was only 16 and didn't have a license or anything related, he managed to snag the vehicle while his mom was at work (she car-pooled with a friend) and drove the two here: in front of an empty lot where a bunch of kids looking about Helga's age played a game of baseball.

"Shut up and give me the gun." Helga snapped, rolling down the window. Thankfully, no one thought it was strange that a car they had never seen before would park next to a bunch of kids playing ball. Jake handed her the weapon. She poked the end out of the window and closed one eye, aiming for Arnold's heart.

"I thought we were just going to beat him up or something, but this..."

"I said shut up and stop whining!" she whispered as she poked the end of the gun out the window and pulled trigger, smiling.

The noise made everyone turn to the car and quickly back at Arnold as something flew through the air and nailed him in the chest. He fell backwards, wincing in pain. He put his hand to where he'd been hit, then lifted it to his face. His hand was covered in red and Arnold closed his eyes, groaning as the stench of paint filled his nose.

"Arnold! Are you all right?" Lila shouted and ran to his side.

Helga's devilish grin turned into a deep frown, not only out of anger at the Princess Nurse caring for the boy she was trying to destroy, but also out of confusion. Gloria was running after Arnold or maybe Lila, but stopped about half way and looked around as if she hoped no one had seen her. 'I didn't think Gloria even liked baseball...' Helga shook it off and growled as she shifted the gun, now aiming for the red head. She pulled the trigger on the paint-ball gun again and laughed maniacly as pain and paint ruined the dainty, little princess's shiny hair.

"But it just seems so childish. Paint ball?" Jake crawled next to Helga on the seat and rested his chin on her shoulder, interupting her thoughts.

"Look, I know what I'm doing, okay?" Her grin had returned. 'What a whiner.' "Ever heard of Chinese water torture? They take a prisoner and pour water on their forehead, drop by drop, randomly, until the prisoner goes insane." Helga turned her head so that she faced Jake.

"And that has to with paint ball, how?" He raised an eye brow.

She groaned as loudly as possible, as if it were painfully obvious. "Not paint ball specificly, but... look at it this way. The water drops themselves aren't that annoying, but having it constantly hitting you and never knowing when creates anxiety. That's our plan. If we beat him up, he'll hurt for a few days, maybe a week, and that's it. But, if we keep attacking when he least expects it, then it'll drive him crazy! Not only will he have to constantly watch his back, but _why_ he has to constantly watch his back will be in his mind too. Trust me, I'm an expert."

Jake looked at Helga with wide-eyed astonishment. "You are evil! That's it, I'm in love." He swiftly dipped into a quick, but firm kiss. Leaning back, he had to smile at Helga's goofy, love-sick grin. "Gimme that gun, I want a try."

She passed him the paint gun and sighed romanticly before moving behind Jake to give him more space.

"Are those the two you were talking about?"

"Yup." Helga opened the opposite window and hung her bare feet out. It was getting hot as Hell inside the car. "That's Football Head and his perfect, little, farm-girl girlfriend, Lila."

Jake watched as the blond boy held her hand and she slowly pulled it away to help him sit up. "How sentimental. Do I have to shoot just them, or can I have a go at the others too?"

"Be my guest." Helga put her arms behind her head and smiled. 'Today's a good day.' she thought to herself.

All the kids had now formed around Arnold and Lila. Gerald reached out a hand to help the two up. "You all right?"

"Yes, thank you." Lila accepted the hand while Arnold nodded and helped himself up.

"Who hit me?" He wiped as much paint off of his sweater as he possibly could, hoping against all odds that it wouldn't leave a stain.

"Helga. I couldn't see her well, but Man, I know that unibrow when I see it."

Arnold groaned. "Helga... I knew I was going to pay for-"

"For what?" Gerald lifted an eyebrow.

"Nothing." He shook his head, " I'll tell you later."

"AAAAH!" Sid pointed to the car a little late and screamed, "It's Helga! And... some guy!"

Everyone turned in time to see a strange boy with green hair pull the trigger and hit Harold in the gut with another red paintball. He instantly started crying and fell to his knees.

Jake turned back to Helga, laughing. "This is great! I forgot how much fun this thing could be. Watch this, I'm going to get that geeky, Asian girl!"

"Asian girl?!" Her eyes went wide as she sat up. She didn't move in time to stop Jake from pulling the trigger, but she managed to smack the gun so it missed. "You idiot, you almost hit Phoebe!" Helga crawled in the passanger seat and hung her head out the open window. "Hey, Pheebs, get over here!"

The small girl adjusted her glasses as she saw the splatter of paint on the brick wall behind her. "Coming!" She chimed and glanced over Arnold and Lila covered in paint too, then walked to the front of the car where Helga sat.

"Hey, Pheebs, what's up?" She grinned.

"Helga... what are you doing?" Phoebe looked at the back seat and saw an older boy adorned in black, rolling his eyes. "Is this cabbage? I mean, Jake?"

"Cabbage? Why in the Hell-"

"Yup, that my new man. Hop in." She turned back to Jake and flashed him a satisfied smile. "Well, I think our job is done here, for now. Care to drive us to your place?"

Jake stepped out of the back and held the door open for Phoebe. She looked up at him with hesitation, but then decided it was best to find out as much about Helga's new boyfriend as possible She watched him carefully as he closed the door and moved to the other side of the car. "Helga, where's the driver?"

"Right there." She pointed to Jake as he was stepping in front of the car.

Phoebe's eyes went wide. "But... he doesn't look old enough! Does he even have a permit?!"

Helga looked in the side mirror and began picking at her teeth. "Don't know, don't care."

Jake stepped into the driver's seat and Phoebe scrambled to put her seat belt on _tight._

He pulled a box of cigarettes out of his pants pocket and revved up the car. Helga leaned out of the window and pointed the group of kids murmuring, mainly at the blond boy in the center. "Smell you later, Football Head!"

Everyone watched as Helga, Phoebe, and the strange goth boy drive away. The most concerned one of the group was not Arnold, but Lila. 'Oh my, I completely forgot about Helga's feeling towards Arnold... what ever have I done?'

"Wow," Harold finally picked himself off of the ground, "Usually she just calls us names... hey, wait a minute... how come she only hit you and Lila? And why did that guy with the green hair shoot me?!"

"Golly, Arnold. She even pointed to you out of all us bunch. You sure must've done something to make Helga really mad." Stinky spoke in his regular Southern accent.

"Don't remind me." Arnold accidently grumbled out loud and looked down at the ground in shame. Why couldn't he have handled the situation at school better? Why couldn't he have just told his friends he needed to talk to Helga alone when they were coming? 'Because I was scared.' He thought to himself. Scared of what, he couldn't quite place.

"Who was that guy?" Eugene asked before stepping in to paint and falling to the ground. "I'm okay!"

Everyone looked at eachother and shrugged.

THE CAR

"So, Phoebe... that's your name, right?" Jake turned a corner and Phoebe tried to not point out that he was driving with only one hand on the wheel and it wasn't positioned correctly.

"Um, yes." She timidly replied and looked up at the rear-view mirror. She could see Helga fearfully stare at the pack of cigarettes in Jakes hand, until she, too, looked up at the mirror and realised she was being watched.

"We go way back." Helga spoke, looking her best friend's reflection for a last moment before turning her gaze out the window. "Don't we, Pheebs?"

"First grade, I remember." Phoebe broke her own gaze and stared at her small hands. They were clasped together and resting comfortable in her lap, though at the moment "comfortable" was far from what she felt.

"Really?" Jake forced himself to make conversation. Normally, he would've left a geek like the one in the back seat on the curb, but she was obviously a friend of Helga, so he made an exception. "How did you two become friends?" Another car tried to make it's way in front of them, and Jake slowed down the car. He may have been an illegal driver, but that didn't mean he had to be a rude one.

"Well, as I stated, it was first grade. I was excelling in the subjects greatly, while Helga was... struggling with the concepts of addition. The teacher, Ms. Honey, had assigned me to assist Helga into understanding the basics of math. We would meet at the playground after school every Saturday and practice. She learned quite quickly, but even today I believe Helga struggles with technical subjects, such as Math and Science."

"Uh-huh." Jake said with an upbeat tone, even though he vaguely cared.

Helga watched the pavement speed by beneathe them as she thought back on those first grade days. Their friendship had started just as Phoebe said, but there was more to it. Every Saturday, Phoebe would meet her at the swings and they would add abstract things like wood chips or flower petals. However, that wasn't what made them close. After Helga started understanding addition, the teacher said that she and Phoebe didn't need to be "study buddies" anymore. Helga remembered feeling sad when she had heard the news, but had shrugged it off.

Then she went home to tell her family how excited she was about finally understanding Math. Young, foolish Helga had imagined her mother and father to finally be proud of her, instead of Olga. However, when she showed them the paper scoring she had only missed one problem, they ignored her. Helga had put up on the fridge anyways, only to find it on the floor with a dirty shoe print on it by dinner time. The spot where her paper had been was replaced with Olga's perfect A+ Science paper. Helga had come second to her sister yet again.

The following morning at P.S.118, life had gone on as usual for everyone, except Helga. She was extra pouty that day and had even punched Harold in the nose for throwing an empty carton of juice at her during lunch time. No one seemed to notice or even care that she was crying when she stomped away from bruised Harold.

But Phoebe noticed. She had walked up to Helga and asked if she had plans for Saturday. Helga remembered yelling something about how they weren't study buddies anymore. Little Phoebe, so timid and sweet, despite what any one with sense would do, said that she didn't want to be study buddies. She wanted to be Helga's friend and asked if she would spend the night at her house. They had been friends ever since.

Helga smirked at the memory. Out of the whole school and her family combined, only Phoebe had cared. That is, only Phoebe and Arnold. Unconsciously, her smirk widened. After Phoebe had asked Helga to spend the night, just when she had tried to answer a pair of arms had wrapped around Helga. She turned around to see a concerned, little Arnold. _'Please, don't cry, Helga.'_

"Helga!" Jake yelled, startling her.

"Y-yeah, sorry. I was just... thinking." She shook her head. "What?"

"I was asking if you wanted a smoke?" Jake held the carton of cigarettes out.

Red signs flashed danger in Helga's mind. She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Phoebe's reflection looking back at her with the face a mother gives her child when he or she's about to do something stupid. Helga looked back at Jake, who was grinning and holding a cigarette between his lips.

"Take it or don't. It's alright if you're... scared." Jake knew Helga's type didn't back down from challenges easily. "I just assumed you were tough, but if you want to be a goody, little-"

"Give me that!" Helga pulled out a cigarettefrom the box and placed it between her lips.

Jake took a lighter from a cup holder in the car and lit his own cigarette, then Helga's. He took a long drag, then watched the street light turn green and moved the car again. "You've never smoked before, have you?"

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. What's it to you?" Helga pulled the cigarette out of her mouth and held it between two fingers.

"Because those aren't cheap." Jake laughed. "Just suck on it like a straw and blow the smoke out. I'll get one for you, Pheebs, just wait for the next red light."

"Oh, no thank you. I don't smoke." Phoebe glared at Helga via rear-view mirror. 'I couldn't fathom you doing it either.'

"Oh, come on, I'm doing it! Helga's doing it! If you want, we won't tell anyone." Jake grinned deviously.

"No, but thank you." Phoebe tensed.

He insisted, "Don't be a loner, you know you want to. Just once, what could it hurt?"

'My gums, my lungs, my teeth, my honor, my pride, my conscious...' She rattled off in her head. "I stand with my answer."

"Look," he continued, "just one, alright? Just-"

"She said," Helga interupted, "no."

Jake gave a quick glance at Helga, then back at the road. "Sorry, Phoebe."

'It's one thing for me to screw up my life,' Helga thought, 'I can't let it happen to Pheebs..'

Phoebe forced down a smile, feeling both angry and proud of her best friend. 'She might push me around, but she still cares and I know that. If only she would get that cancerous stick out of her mouth this instant..."

Taking Jake's advice, Helga took a puff of her cigarette and was surprised that she wasn't coughing up a storm as she had expected. The smell wasn't exactly great, but she had been around Bob when he was smoking cigars with business buddies, so it didn't even phase her.

Phoebe, however, was huddling as close to the window as possible, though it didn't help much sitting directly behind Helga.

The rest of the drive was awkwardly silent, except for the System of a Down cd playing. Phoebe eventually tuned out the music and was lightly blushing as she wondered what Gerald might be doing at the moment. Helga stared at the side mirror, every few minutes looking over at Jake and smiling, then taking another drag from her cigarette and staring back at the mirror. Jake forced himself to not sing the lyrics and embarrass himself, every now and then catching Helga's look.

"Here we are, my house." Jake announced as he pulled into the driveway. "Let me get the door for you, my ladies." He smiled and unbuckled his seat belt, then got out of the car.

"Helga!" Phoebe whispered harshly as soon as the door closed. "I can't believe you just smoked a cigarette! I don't think Jake is adequate for you." her face was strict, but concerned.

"Relax, it was just one time, who says it'll ever happen again? Next time, I'll say no."

"Promise?"

Helga mumbled something incoherently and hoped it would be enough of an answer.

Jake opened Phoebe's door first, then Helga's He bowed and held a hand out for her, gentleman-like. "My love?"

She smiled greatly and took his hand, allowing him to pull her out of the vehicle. She didn't let go until the three of them had walked in the house and upstairs to Jake's room, where he turned on the tv and the couple lyed on his bed together. Phoebe sat on the floor, analyzing the two.

'This doesn't feel right. Jake's polite, but he's definitely immoral as well. Why would Helga give Arnold up for him? She always cared for Arnold, because he was a transition from her gloomy outlook on life. Jake would only make her phycological sight even darker than before, so why the sudden change of heart, so to speak? He must've done something that no one else did, not even Arnold.' Phoebe glanced up to find the two holding hands and leaning in for a kiss. She blushed and went back to "watching" tv. 'That must be why. He has feelings for her and what she wants deep inside is someone to love her. But... that someone has been specifically Arnold for years, before I even knew her well. So how did Jake manage to win her affections? Whatever he did, it must've been special to Helga.' Phoebe stopped her thoughts when her finger brushed over a plastic bag. Normally, Phoebe wouldn't have cared since the room wasn't particularly neat, but she happened to glance down anyways to see a very small bag of white powder next to her hand. Her eyes went wide as soon as she recognised the substance and stood up very quickly.

"Ex-excuse me Jake, do you mind if I talk to Helga alone?"

"Uuh..."

"Thank you!" Phoebe grabbed Helga's hand and pulled her out of the room.

"What's up, Pheebs? You've been acting really weird today." Helga crossed her arms and leaned against the closed door.

"Helga, listen to me! You need to break up with Jake. It's important."

Hearing this did not make the blond girl very happy. "Why?! Someone actually loves me, Phoebe. Someone actually wants me! Someone actually comes to me for something other than last night's home work or to bow down to Olga. I would think of all people, my best friend would be happy for me."

"What about Arnold?" Phoebe knew she was taking a big step across dangerous borders, but she needed to take the chance.

Helga slapped a hand over Phoebe's mouth and pushed her against the wall, glaring down at her. "Arnold found my locket. Even worse, I dropped it right in front of him. What did he do? He took one look at it and ran, Phoebe. He shoved me away and ran back to Lila. Ten years of holding out for him, of loving him even when it hurt me the most. Who gave up the last pair of Nancy Spumoni snow boots to find Mr. Hyunh's daughter and give Arnold a happy Christmas? Who comforted him when Lila dumped him in the fourth grade? Who dug through pile of garbage for hours just to get his stupid hat back? All of it..." Helga's voice was much sadder and softer at this point, but her grip on Phoebe tightened. "All of it, pushed back to me, unwanted. Ten years thrown away in a moment. If that's not a sign, I don't know what the hell is. I cried for him, Phoebe." Her eyes watered, and Helga closed her eyes. "I cried for him on the way home that day and do you know who comforted me? It sure wasn't Arnold. He didn't even bother to call and apologize like he usually does. No, he was too busy with Lila or one of his other friends. Jake was there for me. Jake was the one who hugged me and told me things would get better. He even kissed me, Phoebe! He said he loved me today! Why should I hurt myself any longer hoping for another person who doesn't want me, when I can finally love someone who loves me back?" She let go of Phoebe and slowly stepped back.

"Because... because I don't think he's suited for you. I found cocaine in his room, Helga! Today, you not only did something illegal, but started something that is both dangerous for your health and can become a habit, because of him. What else might he do to you next?"

Helga blinked a few times, her expression of sorry turning back into anger. "So, he isn't perfect. It's not like I am either." She folded her arms across her chest.

"But-"

"Maybe you should go." Helga turned to Jake's bedroom door.

Phoebe tried to find something she could say to change her mind, but she knew there was nothing, at least for the moment. "Goodbye, Helga."

"See you later, Pheebs." Helga opened the door and walked inside.

Phoebe sighed sadly and walked down the long staircase. How could she convince Helga to break up with Jake? She had to find a way. Phoebe finally reached the bottom of the step and jumped about a foot in the air as a very tired and bruised woman walked in the front door.

"Who are you?!" The woman scrambled through her purse as if she were searching for a weapon.

"I-I'm so sorry! My name is Phoebe Heyerdahl, I'm here with Helga and Jake!" Phoeble bowed down, the custom she picked up from her Japenese father.

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, Dear. I just came home and I'd never met you before; you're in my house... are you leaving?" The woman relaxed and stepped away from door.

Phoebe nodded. "May I ask, are you all right? You look hurt, what happened?"

The woman suddenly looked empty as she lowered her eyes. "I fell down the stairs."

Phoebe watched the woman she assumed to be Jake's mother walk past nervously. She opened the front door and started a jog to the nearest bus stop, knowing fully well you don't get bruises the shape of a hand around your neck from falling down the stairs.

SUNSET ARMS

Arnold hugged Lila goodbye on his stoop and watched her walk down the street. She had told him that she wasn't comfortable with kissing yet and just wanted to hug, so despite the disappointment inside, he respected her wish. He sighed as he walked back inside to greet Gerald.

"Mm, mm, mm. Arnold, I think something's wrong here. She just wants to hug? That's crazy!" he crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't see what's so crazy about it. She just wants to take things slow, that's all." Arnold walked up the stairs, Gerald following.

"Take things slow? Arnold, you've been going out for almost a month now. Do you remember when she was going out with Arnie? She was all over your cousin. You couldn't pry her off with a crow bar!"

"Don't remind me." He mumbled and rolled his eyes. "Besides, she was miserable when he broke up with her for Helga. Maybe she's just scared of getting hurt."

Gerald shook his head. "Whatever you say, Arnold, whatever you say. Speaking of Helga, why was she with that guy, shooting you and Lila with paint balls?"

Arnold didn't notice himself walk faster when he heard Gerald's last question. 'Maybe I shouldn't tell him. He's my best friend, but he doesn't exactly understand Helga. He still doesn't know what happened on between us on the Future Tech Industry roof, let a lone that she's loved... liked..." Arnold let out a heavy sigh. "had feelings for me for a long time.'

"Hey, slow down, buddy!" Gerald ran up the last of the steps and across the landing to catch up.

"Oh, sorry, Gerald." Arnold stopped. He reached for the rope that hung from the ceiling and pulled down another set of stairs that led to his room.

"You didn't answer me. I asked, what the heck did you do to Helga that made her act like that back at the lot? Usually, she just trips you or calls you names."

"I don't know." He lied. "But I don't think it's going to be the last of it." Arnold walked up and opened the door to his room. He walked inside and picked up the remote off of a nearby shelf. Pressing a few buttons, he turned on the radio to M-Jazz and the small red couch fell out from the wall.

"What makes you say that?" Gerald followed him in and flopped on the sofa, landing on his stomach.

"I don't know. Can we just drop it?" Arnold laid down on his bed and looked up through the sky light. Other than a very faint cloud, the sky was pure and blue. 'Like Lila's eyes...' He thought.

Gerald looked at his buddy and raised an eyebrow. Arnold was a very lousy liar. He was hiding something, and Gerald Johannson was going to find out what, but not right now. "Soooo, Cheese Festival's comin' up." he changed the subject.

"Two weeks. I'll probably go with Lila. Are you planning on taking anyone?" he was relieved that the subject was taken off him. He looked over at Gerald and smiled at the sight of his best friend blushing.

"Oh, I don't know... I was kinda thinking... I might take Phoebe... y'know...if... y'know... she isn't going with someone else..." He smiled shyly and scratched the back of his head.

Arnold couldn't help but laugh a little. Gerald was a smooth walker and a smooth talker. He was cool, classy, and could make almost any girl fall into a passionate stupor. It was funny how someone like Phoebe Heyerdahl could suddenly put the stupor on Gerald. "You really like her, don't you?"

"No, no..." He humbly starting picking lint of the edge of the couch, "Well, maybe..." He looked up at Arnold's sly grin and raised eyebrow, then rolled over and groaned. "Oh, who am I kidding? Phoebe's so smart and sophisticated, why would she be interested in a romantic like me?"

"Gerald, you're funny, you're witty," Arnold counted on his fingers, "you've got the looks, the style, you're great at telling stories... why wouldn't Phoebe be crazy for you?"

"Because she's so... so... different from other girls, Arnold. She's so much smarter, but she isn't stuck up about it. She's beautiful, but she doesn't flaunt it or fake it with a ton of make up and expensive clothes. It's almost like she doesn't even realise how great she is! I've been with a few women here and there, but it's just a relationship to them. Dinner, roses, some sweet words, then someone gets bored and they look for the same thing somewhere else. Phoebe's not like that. It's almost like when every girl is dreaming of being a mynx, Phoebe's a tiger." Gerald's face was glowing so brightly, he was practicly a human light bulb.

Arnold stared at his friend with wide eyes and started clapping. "Beautiful, Gerald, just beautiful."

"Thanks," Despite of his dark skin, his cheeks still managed to turn red. "Do you think I should write her a poem or would that be too goofy? What if she thinks I'm a goof?"

"Phoebe won't think you're a goof, Gerald. In fact, I bet she has a thing for you too." Arnold sat up and grinned.

"R-really? Which cologne should I wear to the Cheese Festival?" He blurted.

"I think first should forget the cologne and just ask Phoebe to go with you." Arnold tossed the remote to the floor.

"You're right, Phoebe doesn't care for that sort of thing anyways. Besides, it might smell weird with all the cheese around." Gerald took a deep breathe and sighed. "Should I ask her in person or would that be too awkward? What should I wear? Should I where something special or just go casual? What about-"

"Gerald."

"Yeah, Arnold?"

"Tomorrow, just call her up on the phone and ask her to go to the Cheese Festival with you. Just be yourself." Arnold took his role of reason.

Gerald stood up off the couch and walked over to his best friend. "Thanks, Arnold. I'll see you later, Man."

"Always glad to help." The friends did their handshake and Gerald started to walk out the door, but stopped and turned around when he grabbed the handle.

"Oh yeah, and Arnold..."

"Yeah?" He raise his eyebrow.

"Be careful around Helga."

Arnold took a moment to stare at the door after Gerald left, then groaned patheticly and laid back down on his bed.

JAKE'S ROOM

"Where'd Phoebe go?" Jake was still on the bed, lying on his back.

"Oh, she had to... uh...be home..." Helga's brain turned to Silly Putty as she watched Jake pull of his shirt. His skin was pale underneathe, but none the less smooth and soft looking. His body was fit, not too muscled, but enough to make Helga practicly drool as her eyes skimmed over his arms and torso. Jake laughed and she flinched as she pulled back into consciousness.

"She had be home early?"

"Uuuuh... yeah." Helga shook her head and sat down next to Jake. He pulled her close so she had to lay down next to him, making her smile and even giggle a little.

"So, what will be our next revenge tomorrow?" Jake rested his hand on Helga's hip.

"Nothing." She grinned.

"Nothing?" Jake repeated.

"Is there an echo in here? Tomorrow, we do nothing. It'll give Arnold the idea that we're through with him and it'll give us time to plan some real revenge. This afternoon was petty work. We need to be thinking bigger. Better."

"Theeeen... can I beat him up?" Jake slowly slid his hand up and down Helga's leg. This made her slightly uncomfortable, so she rolled over on her other side and rested her head on his bare chest, hoping the interuption would make him stop. It worked, Jake switched to playing with the hem of Helga's dress.

"No, you can't beat him up." A long time ago, Helga vowed that the only one allowed to hurt Arnold would be herself. Even though now she thought he deserved anything he got at this point, whether it was subconsciously pure habit or something else, she felt obliged to keep that vow.

"Why?"

"It's my revenge, we'll do it my way." Helga reasoned both to Jake and herself, "We'll do a few more clever attacks, a big finale, and then we forget about him completely. Got it?"

"Whatever." Jake rolled his eyes. "If we're not taking action tomorrow, then you're getting a make-over and I'm helping."

Helga groaned. "Whyyy?"

"Because you dress like you're a fuckin' kid."

Helga sat up. "What's wrong with the way I dress?!"

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

"Exactly."

"Well, forgive me for not dressing as your Queen of the Underworld." She spoke sarcasticly and crossed her arms.

"I don't want you to. You just really need to get rid of that dress and pig-tail look. And that horrid bow." Jake reached up and pulled the pink ribbon from her hair.

Helga yanked it from his hands and held it in her own. She hadn't even realised she'd still been putting it on every morning.

"Why do you wear it?" Jake asked with disgust in his voice.

She twisted the cloth in her hands. She used to wear it, because Arnold had liked it. She had still worn it out of habit. Helga looked up from the now wrinkled bow into Jakes eyes. They were a dark grey, like clouds foreboding a dangerous storm. "What do you have in mind?" She spoke calmly.

"You'll see." he grinned.

Helga glanced over at the tv. It was announcing the up-coming shows coming for 8:30 and after. "I have to go home and eat a crappy dinner. Come by my house around-"

"At twelve tomorrow, I will be Romeo at your window, ready to transform you from a Capulet into a rose."

Helga smiled. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any another name would smell as sweet." She quoted out loud, still remembering the line from acting in the play long ago. 'I did a pretty good Juliet, considering I had to cram all those lines. All for one little kiss scene, but it was worth...' Helga stood up and turned to the door to hide her smiling face turning into a frown. 'What's wrong with me? Why does everything remind me of Arnold? I shouldn't care any more. I don't care anymore. I love Jake now. It'll just take time to get Arnold out of my head.' "That's it." She accidently spoke out loud, talking as if she'd just reached an epiphany, "It'll just take time."

Jake looked at her, confused. "Take time for what?"

Helga froze for a moment, then opened the bedroom door. "Time... time... foooor that make-over! You're right. Boy, I need change, whoo!" Helga swung her arm through the air, then tugged at her collar. "Is it just me or is it hot in here?"

Jake laughed. "Why do you think I took my shirt off?"

"Right, right." Helga nervously smiled. "Well... see you tomorrow, then."

After Jake stood up and gave her a peck on the cheek, Helga went down stairs and said a quick hello-goodbye to his mom, shrugging off her strange bruises as work injuries. Once she reached the door to her own house, she realised she still held her bow in one hand. At first, she was tempted to throw it in the trash at the end of her drive way, but decided instead to put it in her box in the attic. That way she could throw everything out at once. Helga shoved the ribbon in her pocket and turned the door handle, only to find it locked. She groaned and rang the bell several times until her dad finally opened the door.

"Where have you been, young lady?! This was our last dinner with Olga before she goes back for one more semester of college and you missed it! You should've been here an hour ago, so we ate without you. At least, you came home in time to say goodbye to your older sister before we leave for the air port!" Bob yelled.

"I'm suprised you noticed I was gone at all." Helga spoke bluntly and walked past her dad.

"Oh, Baby Sister! We were so worried, where were you? Now, you weren't with that awful boy with the green hair, were you? He's dangerous, Baby Sister, you better watch out for him!" Olga gently pushed on Helga's not-so-button nose. Helga shoved her away and continued to the kitchen.

"Olga, what do you have to say to your older sister?!"

"Don't slam the door on your ass on the way out." Helga spoke sarcasticly, not even bothering to correct Bob about her name yet again. She opened the fridge door and pulled out an orange, seeing that despite a family member down, Bob and Olga (probably more so Bob) hadn't managed to save any dinner for her.

"You little-!"

"Daddy," Olga interupted, "You're blood pressure! Besides, Helga's just being silly and if we don't leave now, we'll miss the plane!"

Helga ignored the grumbles that no doubt came from Bob and walked up the stairs to her room, peeling the orange with her fingers as she went along. By the time she'd finally reached her door and walked inside, the fruit was bare. Helga threw the peels in the waste basket in the corner absent mindedly and closed the door, then spread out on her bed. She set the clock on her night stand to play the radio and bit into the orange as she waited for the next song to play. Juice ran down her face and she wiped it with her arm. "Finally," she spoke out loud, "I'm in my new room, by myself, where I can day-dream about Jake and nothing will make me think about-" She was interupted as the comercials finally stopped and the D.J. started to announce the next songs.

"And now, 'Every Little Thing She Does is Magic' sung by Ra. This is KISW, The Rock!" An over java-ed voice spoke from the clock-radio.

After a silent moment, the music finally started and Helga listened. For a song she had never heard before, she thought the music was okay. But as soon as the singer started off with, "Well I▓ve tried before to tell her of the feelings I have for her in my heart", she groaned and rolled her eyes. 'Not another crappy, love rock song.' She took a few more bites out of her orange and listened in hopes the song would get better.

_"Every little thing she does is magic, everything she do just turns me on. Even though my life before was tragic, now I know my love with her goes on."_

"Alright," Helga told the radio, "that's enough with you." She reached over to turn it off.

_"Do I have to the story, of a thousand rainy days since we first met?"_ She paused and the memory of meeting Arnold weasled it's way into her mind. _"It's a big enough umbrella, but it's me that always ends up getting wet."_

Helga unplugged the clock, making her own growling the only sound audible. It took a moment for her to become aware that not only had she crushed the half-eaten orange in her hand, but the juice was making a puddle on the floor. "Perfect." She grumbled as she walked to the bin and threw the unintentionally crushed fruit at it, but missed. She clenched her teeth as she picked it up and looked inside the trash bin. It was nearly filled with balled up pages, literally, wasted on Arnold. Helga threw the orange in and this time, did not miss. "Crimeny, this is getting ridiculous!" She spoke outloud as she wiped the juice off of her hands with her dress. She felt a lump in her pocket. Helga reached in and pulled out the ribbon Jake had yanked out of her hair. "Oh, you _have_ to be kidding me!" She yelled. Growling louder than ever, she stomped her way out of her room and up the attic. She pulled open the box that contained anything related to Arnold and threw the ribbon in. Then she closed the box and kicked it to the darkest corner of the attic. She looked up to the ceiling and pointed upwards, as if she were yelling to God, "Ha! Now what?!" Smiling, she clapped imaginary dust off of her hands and proudly walked down stairs, back to the third floor.

"Hey, Olga?" Bob called from downstairs as he walked in the door.

"I'm Helga!" She yelled back.

"Whatever... hey, have you seen my lucky football? The company's having a game next weekend."

Helga pulled on her pig tails and screamed.

SUNSET ARMS

Arnold was lying on his bed, trying to sleep when he felt a tingling sensation in his ear. "Hey, Abner? Did you hear something?"

The pig perked his ears up, then looked at Arnold as if he did.  
--------------------------

Author's Note: (It's a long one...)I have to say, I'm not pleased with this chapter. The fact that you had to wait so long for it makes me resent it more. I should have better revenge written, but I don't. It should also be funny, but it isn't. It could also probably have some more progressive plot points, but oh well.

Some people are concerned with Lila being a lesbian. Yup, it's out! Let me explain: DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME TO WRITE FOR LILA?!?!?!?! I had originally planned for her to be exactly as she had been in the show. A lot of people tend to turn her into a bitch and/or slut and honestly, I don't think that would happen. It could, but this is Hey Arnold! we're talking about. (Then again, there aren't abusive drug addicts in the show either) But trying to write perfection is not as easy as I had thought it would be. I mean, I can write it, but she just seems so boring. And then while writing the story, I wondered, "Why would she go out with Arnold if she didn't really like him?" To try and make some one jealous. "Who?" How about a smaller character? "Okay! But who's the kind of person Lila would like?" Arnie? "That would've been a great choice, but you're a bad writer and won't think of it. We'll just say that since Arnie likes Helga, it'd be too complicated with Jake going on." Oh, right, right. Wait, what?! Okay, how about someone sweet, like Lila. "How about Gloria?" Perfect! I have so many bisexual/lesbian friends that it didn't even really catch on in my mind that they were both girls. Oh well, I could see Lila becoming a lesbian. (Not butch, but if you think about it... she's girly, she'd probably be more comfortable with someone who could appreciate girly things... why not another girl?)

Another concern is the length of this story. To tell the truth, it'll probably be epic, because of all the events I want to write in. So if you like short-medium length stories, maybe you should leave now. If you want an honest guestimate of how many chapters, I'd say _maybe_ 20-ish.

I've also put myself into a small bind. While waiting for my editor, I wrong a songfic. One review I got: "Wow totally angsty, but in a good way. great job!" I don't know of angsty ever being good, but check it out if you want. Anyways, the bind is this: I kind of left it open so their could be more chapters, though I wasn't sure of actually doing it. If I plan to go ahead and make it a story, I want each chapter to be a songfic, using a different song each time. However, I'm stuck on the decision of whether to make it a two chapter, predictable, "Oops, it was all a dream. Suprise! Happy ending." or to make it a really cool "reality is falling apart, what the hell is going on?!" story. Either way, it'll be a lot shorter than this one, and the chapters will only be written when when I feel like it, so it's updates will be iffy. (I must warn you: I accidently put the first paragraph in bold and wrote showed instead of shown and I have no idea how to fix chapters on this site. Other than that, I think it's error free, much unlike this stupid fanfic. Grawr, I hate my spelling errors.)

Lastly, I'm surpised no one has pointed these out: In the beginning of my story, Helga's birthday is about a month before the end of school. However, in the "April Fool's Day" episode, Arnold says Helga's birthday was (I think) a week before. (Holy crap, that would make her birthday in March. My birthday is the day before April Fool's, March 31st... the coincidence.) More so, Arnold remembered her birthday, but in my story he didn't know when it was. And why is it that he's known her for 10 years and NOW he realises something's wrong? Hm, I guess we could say Helga's extra grumpy this year, because of Olga's thirteenth being so great and the two sisters are compared so much. (Something else in my story to I'd like to point out, sorry if it's a spoon-feed/spoiler: You notice, when Helga is ever being her true self to Arnold, she's usually calm and eases up a bit on the sarcasm? She still seems pretty edgey with Jake... could it be, she isn't fully comfortable with him?)

Mwwwwwwah! G'night, everybody! (Catching up on Animaniacs)

-T.S.


	9. Make Over

"No." 

"Yes."

"No."

"I said yes."

"I said no."

"But I said yes."

"But I said no."

"But I over-rule you."

"Ha, that's a laugh."

"Look, I know what I'm talking about."

"Coming from a boy with hair to match my front lawn. I can't believe I agreed to this stupid make-over. The sad thing is, you're actually enjoying it." Helga scoffed as she sat next to Jake on his bed.

"It's better than what you wore before." He replied.

"These clothes don't look that much different! Except the boots and socks."

"Oh, trust me, when you where them, they will."

"Whatever."

"So, you're doing it."

"I said NOOOOO."

"And I said YEEEEEEES!" Jake tugged on his hair, border line annoyed. He and Helga were sitting in his room, back from shopping, and doing nothing but petty fighting. "Look, I don't have time for this. Vallery should be here a few minutes with the hair dye and make-up. And tweezers. Thank God, for tweezers. I've got some business to take care of and I'll be back in a couple of hours. When I do, you better be beautiful."

"And what am I now, chopped liver?" She retorted.

"More like in need of an obediance training." He shot back and grabbed her arm, smiling.

"Hey, I'm not your Lassy, Bucko!" She pulled away, but gave half a smile back.

"Lassy wouldn't be barking at me so much!"

The door bell could be heard down stairs. "That'd be her." Jake turned around and left his room.

"Hey, you can't just walk out on me. We are trying to have a decent arguement here!" Helga ran after him.

"What's there to argue about?" He sped about half-way down the stairs, then jumped over the rest. From there, he went to the front door and opened it, revealing a short girl dressed dark jeans, a bright red shirt reading "Some days, it's just not worth chewing through the straps." in black letters, and choppy hair so colorful, it would put rainbows to shame. "You two play nice!" Jake added, before giving Helga a quick kiss and slipping out the door.

Vallery looked at Helga and smiled. She was answered with a skeptical huff.

PHOEBE'S ROOM

Phoebe sat at by the phone, frowning. She knew Helga's new phone number and she needed to talk with her, but she just couldn't find the right words to say. 'Hello, Helga. I understand that you're in love with Jake, but you should break up with him.' If it failed before, it would fail again. 'Helga, I'm jealous that you're spending time with Jake and not me.' She wouldn't go for that. Phoebe sighed, putting her hand on the phone, 'Guess what? Arnold broke up with Lila and says he loves you.' False hope, lies, and disaster sure to happen. 'Maybe, it'll just come naturally.' she thought and just as she was about to pick up the phone, it rang. She jumped a few inches and answered.

"Hello?" Who ever had called her hung up and Phoebe wondered why someone would want to pull a prank on her. She pressed off on the phone and was about to set it in the charger when it rang again. "Hello?" She repeated when she answered. Some shuffling could be heard and Phoebe considered unplugging her phone.

"Sorry, Phoebe." Arnold apologised and more shuffling along with some shushes could be heard.

"Oh, Arnold. It's you! Why would you be calling me?" 'And why are you acting so strange?'

More white noise. "Well, actually, Gerald's the one who wants to talk to you, but he's a little shy."

"I am not! I-I'm just... preparing!" His voice was heard in the background.

Phoebe blushed a bright pink and was glad they couldn't see her. "O-oh. Why would Gerald want to talk to me? I mean, what would he like to talk to me about?"

"He'd like to ask you something." Some whispers between the two boys were exchanged, but Phoebe could make out they were saying. Her face turned a new shade of red when Gerald's voice came through the phone.

"Hey, Babe." He tried to keep his voice smooth, barely succeeding.

She had to pull the phone away from her mouth so he wouldn't hear her giggle. When she finally recovered, she put the phone back to her ear.

"Hello?" Gerald asked. "I think she left."

"No!" She accidently yelled into the phone. "I mean, I'm here.What did you want to ask me?"

There was a moment of awkward silence, then a heavy breath. "I was just wondering... not that it's any of my business or anything... if you had someone to go to the Cheese Festival with. I know you usually go with Helga, so if you have plans... actually, I should probably just go right-"

"Um, no, I don't think Helga's going to be at the festival, so I'll just be by myself." Phoebe interupted before he had a chance to leave. She could guess what he was really wanting to ask, but was trying not to get her hopes up. Which was really hard to do with _Gerald Johannson_ on the line.

"What a coincidence, so am I!" He chuckled nervously. "Soooo..."

'Ask me, Gerald... Please, ask me...' Phoebe pleaded in her mind.

"Would you... would you like to go to the Cheese Festival... that is... with me? Phoebe?"

"Could you hang on for a moment, Gerald?"

"Uh... sure."

She set the phone down and stood up from the chair in her living room. "Yes, yes, yes!" She whispered and danced around. Remembering she had yet to say it to Gerald, she took a deep breath to calm herself, then picked up the phone again. "I would find it most... enjoyable... I'd love to go to the Cheese Festival with you." Phoebe smiled uncontrollabley.

There was another moment of silence before a "Whoo!" was heard from Gerald, followed with, "Oops, ah, geez, I'm still on the phone."

This time, Arnold was heard in the background. "Well, say something!"

"Arnold! She said yes!"

"She can probably hear you."

"Ah man, I hope not. She'll think I'm a goof."

"She'll think you're a goof if you don't say something before she changes her mind!"

Gerald voice was louder as he talked straight into the reciever again. "Hey Phoebe? You didn't happen to hear any of that did you?"

"Hear what?" She lied.

"Hey Arnold," Gerald's whisper was clear and audible, "she didn't hear anything."

If Phoebe's smile could've gotten bigger at that moment, it would have.

"I guess I'll... talk to you later then?"

"Definitely. Goodbye, Gerald!"

"Bye!"

Phoebe waited for the sound of the other line hanging up, but didn't hear it.

"You hang up first."

"Gerald!" Arnold yelled in the background.

"What?!"

Phoebe chuckled. "I'll call you tonight."

"Okay. No, wait, I'll call you. Is 10:30 okay? My dad should be asleep by then. You know how he gets."

"10:30 is fine. Bye, Gerald!"

"Bye!" They said again and this time, Phoebe hung up. She ran up to her room and began dancing around in excitement.

SUNSET ARMS

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" Arnold took the recievor and put it down.

"She said yes!" Gerald hugged his best friend.

"Uuuh... Gerald? You're getting a little... close." He said, flustered.

"Sorry, Man, sorry. I just got a little excited there." He let go and smoothed out Arnold's sweater. "I gotta go work out now."

Arnold gave him a funny look. "Why? Isn't it a little too hot for that?"

"Because," he rolled his eyes, "I just hugged another dude. Dudes don't hug other dudes. I've got to do something manly to make up for it. Plus, I need to be looking my best for Phoebe." Gerald wiggled his eyebrows as a sly smile spread across his face. "I'll see you later, Man."

Arnold shook his head and smiled. "See you later." They did their handshake and Gerald left, humming on his way out.

Phil walked down the stairs, holding his newspaper. "Did Gerald go already?"

"Yeah, Grandpa. He had to work out."

"Aaaah, making himself look good for some girl, is he?" He walked into the kitchen for lunch and Arnold followed.

"Grandpa, do you know everything?" He asked, sarcasticly.

"Of course I do! I'm old! Old people know everything, remember that, Short Man. Now why do I feel day ja vu everytime I look at today's paper?"

"Uh... because that's yesterday's paper." Arnold pointed at the date.

"Oh crud, then where did I put today's paper?! Oh well, Abner's probably eaten it by now. So is this girl Gerald's after a hot tamali, if you catch my drift?" Grandpa nudged Arnold before reaching into the fridge and pulling out half of its contents just to make a couple of sandwiches.

"To Gerald, she is." Arnold pulled out a chair and sat down at the table.

"She isn't ugly like your friend with the one eyebrow, is she?" Phil spread all the ingredients out on the table and licked his lips.

"No, Phoebe doesn't look anything like Helga, but Helga doesn't look that bad either, Grandpa."

"She has one eyebrow, Arnold! It's like a hairy catipillar! Worse, it's like a fat centipede! That's what it is, an over-stuffed centipede resting above her eyes!" Grandpa pointed a butter knife at him, then continued to finish making the first sandwich before starting on the second one.

Arnold sighed. Even when she wasn't near, Helga still managed to be around. "It's not that bad, Grandpa. I ..." he sighed, "I don't want to talk about Helga today. We're not exactly on good terms right now." He rested his head in his hand and looked down at the table.

"Have you two ever been on good terms?!" Grandpa rolled his eyes as he took some slices of salami to put on the bread.

Arnold could tell this conversation was going to get worse before it got better and groaned.

"Uh-oh, here's another one of your boyhood dilemmas. Are you ever going to grow out of them or is this just way you are?"

"Speaking of growing out of things," Arnold brightened at the sudden opportunity to try to change the subject, "my pajamas are getting kind of small. I need some new ones."

"I'll get you some later. Now, about what's-her-face..." He finished the second sandwich and handed it to Arnold.

"Phoebe?" He hoped.

"No, no, Arnold, the other one, with the bow." Grandpa took a large bite out of his food.

"Helga." His hope deflated.

"What's she done to you this time, Short Man?"

"Well," Arnold took a bite out of his sandwich, chewed thoughtfully, then swollowed and continued, " remember yesterday, when you asked me about the paint on my sweater? I told you it was from a paintball fight."

"Lemmeh gah, see wuzzuh wa ooit er." Grandpa rolled his eyes and spat food all over the table. Arnold gave him a confused look, not understanding a word he had just said.

He swallowed his food and continued, "I said, let me guess, she was the one who hit you."

"Yeah. The problem is, I think I deserved it." Arnold ate more of his sandwich while Grandpa talked.

"_You?!_ She tortures you for years, throwing spit balls at you, insulting you and calling you names like 'Football Head', tripping you, pulling all kinds of pranks, and _you_ diserve to be hit with a paintball?! Oh, do tell, Arnold, do tell!" He spoke sarcasticly and took another bite.

"Well, I saw something of hers... something I shouldn't have seen... and I kind of... I don't know, Grandpa, it was kind of personal. Maybe I shouldn't talk about it." He took another bite.

"You saw something personal? What happened, she flashed ya?"

Arnold tried not to think about it too hard (or at all, rather), but it proved easier said than done and he choked on his food

Grandpa laughed as he elbowed his grandson, winking. "Maybe it's best I don't know after all. You kids are growing up so fast. Well, I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me up for dinner, would ya, Short Man?" He finished his sandwich, then stood up and put everything that wasn't now empty back in the fridge.

"Okay. See you later, Grandpa." Arnold coughed the words out after he managed to swallow. After Grandpa left, he wondered if, maybe today, it would be best to stay inside.

SLAUSEN'S

Lila sighed as she walked in to the familiar ice-cream parlor. The days were getting hotter and hotter as they passed by, and she could use a good Frappa-Mocha-Caramel-Ice-Cream-Drink-Thing (The actual name it was sold by, because the manager, who happened to be Slausen Jr., thought it would be funny. Though the owner, Mr. Slausen himself, thought of it as a little silly, he had to admit that the name made a few of the new customers smile a little when they read it.) The cool air inside felt good against her skin and the only thing that felt better was seeing Gloria in the back, slowly eating a sundae.

After making her order and paying, Lila made her way for the certain booth and slid across from the humble blond. "Hello. Is this seat taken?"

Even though she knew instantly who the voice belonged to, Gloria looked up in surpise. She then looked back down to hide her cheeks turning red. "Um... well, no, not exactly, but..."

"Gloria, what ever is the matter?" Lila looked into her eyes. The two girls both had blue eyes, but while Lila's were a brighter shade of blue, Gloria's were darker and had silver specks.

She picked at her sundae with her spoon before taking a small bite and sighed, trying to stall. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It seems to me that we have ever so much fun together as long as other people are around, but as soon as we're alone-"

"So how are you and Arnold doing?" Gloria forced a smile, trying to avoid the subject of what had happened between them at Spring Break.

Lila didn't even bother to smile as she tilted her head down and sighed. "He's fine. We might go to the cheese festival together."

"Here's your Frappa-Mocha-Caramel-Ice-Cream-Drink-Thing." A waiter wearing the traditional Slausen's apron startled the two girls as he set down Lila's drink.

"Thank you, so much." Lila finally faked a smile at the waiter as he left.

"What were we talking about again?" Gloria asked as she mixed her sundae with her spoon before Lila could bring up certain memories.

"Arnold and I are going to the Cheese Festival." Lila put her straw in the glass mug and drank, disappointed.

"Oh. Right." Jealosy pricked her ears, but she ignored it.

"Are you... going with anybody in particular?" Lila continued to stare into Gloria's eyes with hope.

"Actually, I was thinking about not going." Gloria ate more of her ice cream and thought, 'How could I stand watching Arnold be in love with you?'

"Oh." Lila sucked on her straw to hide the smile trying to form on her face. She had an idea.

The next fifteen minutes were spent in near silence. Gloria couldn't help but feel she was being watched, and kept her head lowered in attempt to hide from everyone's gaze, especially Lila's. The attempt failed, however, when awkward silence and temptation forced her to glance up. There were Lila's bright blue eyes, shining, Lila let out a giggle at finally getting attention and Gloria turned her head back down a little too low, getting ice cream on her nose. She lifted her head again in mild shock.

"Oh!" Gloria turned pink and was about to wipe it off when Lila took a napkin from the dispencer on the table and did the job for her. Gloria let half a smile creep on her face for a moment, but when her eyes connected with Lila's, the smile dropped and she stepped out of the booth.

"Wait!" Lila took Gloria's hand so that she couldn't leave. "I want to ask you something ever so important."

Gloria looked around at some of the eyes watching her cheeks turn red. She turned to Lila again. "What?"

Lila smiled. "Will you go to the Cheese Festival with me?"

"What about Arnold?" She frowned.

Lila hesitated a moment to think before answering, "Don't worry about him. I'm afraid we've put ourselves in ever such a mess and you and I are going to have to talk this out if we ever want it cleaned up." She let out a heavy breath and added, "This isn't going to just go away."

Gloria closed her eyes and gently pulled away. "Meet me by the cheese kebab stand at nine."

Lila's face brightened. "I'm ever so glad! See you there!" She turned and finished her Frappa-Mocha-Caremel-Ice-Cream-Drink-Thing, smiling, even as Gloria left rather hastily.

JAKE'S HOUSE

Helga sat on the edge of Jake's bathtub, holding an ice cube wrapped in plastic between her now seperate and carefully shaped eyebrows. "I can't believe I let you talk me into dying my hair." She grumbled.

"You know," Valery spoke while she dried Helga's hair with a blow dryer. "you're pretty lucky to have blond hair. Mine's black and I always have to get my roots bleached when they grow out. Besides, the color looks cute on you!"

"Well, maybe I don't want to look cute! Ever thought of that?!"

"Come on, you look hott! You've got new clothes, your unibrow is gone, now I just need to put on your make up and we're done." She turned off the hair dryer and pulled Helga's ice cube away. She put the items down and picked up a sleek comb.

"MY HAIR IS PINK!" Helga yelled. "We better be done with this soon, this bathroom is getting stuffy.".

"Why are you so angry?" Valery asked as she ran the comb through Helga's hair..

"I am not angry!" She clenched her fists. "I'm just agitated, okay?!"

"Well, just think of it as a way to get back at your mom or something."

Helga didn't reply.

A ridiculously long amount of time later, Helga was staring at herself in the mirror of Jake's bathroom. 'He was right... these clothes look a lot different from my old ones. When the heck did I get boobs?!' The dress had resemblance to her old one, but instead of being pink, it was red, and where the red stripe would've been, it was white. The neckline and bottom of the dress was edged with black cloth. It was quite a bit shorter that her old one, and tighter to show off curves Helga didn't have too much of. She also wore a white shirt underneath like before, but this time the shirt had a low cut collar and the sleeves were long, ending about two inches past her wrist. Pink socks with black lace at the top reached over her knee. Thick, black, ankle-high boots felt uncomfortable on her feet, but gave the outfit a more punk look. Last but not least, were the final touches: heavy eyeliner and mascara with red eye-shadow, a black, leather collar around her neck, and a black head band that rested on her pink, brushed down hair. Just about the only thing that was kept the same were her bangs.

"Guess I can't call you Pig Tails anymore, can I?" Jake spoke from the bathroom door.

"Crimeny, how can you be so quiet with those boots on?!" Helga yelled, though her tone was more surprised than angry.

"With much enjoyment." He winked. "Actually, it's the carpet and lots of sneaking in when I was young. Where's Valery?" Jake set a brown paper bag on the counter.

"She left a while ago." Helga reached for the paper bag, but Jake smacked her hand away.

"No, no, no!" He wiggled is finger at her. "That's for later, tomorrow night."

"What happens tomorrow night?" She lifted an eyebrow.

"A party. If you want to come," Jake tugged lightly on the red strap of Helga's dress, "where this."

Helga thought it over. She didn't like parties and she didn't like getting all dolled up for one either, but if Jake was going, it couldn't be too bad. "When and where?"

"My house, around eleven. My mom will be at her sister's house for a couple of days, so it'll be cool. So are you coming or what?"

"I guess I could stop by for a few minutes." She said coyly, pretending to be completely disinterested.

Jake grinned. "Awesome. Hey, it's almost three, wanna watch wrestling?"

"Doi!" Helga said before slipping past Jake and racing him upstairs to his room.

---------------------------

Author's Note: Hey, you guys? My editor's working on her college applications and everything, so that's why the updates are getting later and later. I'm sorry, but she's a good editor, she's just a little busy. In fact, I still haven't gotten an edit for this, so pardon if it's not up to par. When she finally does get back to me, I'll put that one up.

I was going to have the later Gerald/Phoebe phone call be in this chapter where it should be, but instead, I'll put it in the next chapter. Unfortunately, I can feel writer's block creeping up on me, so that's really... bad.

And I've decided I'm going to try not to nit-pick at each chapter I post. It seems almost every one, I have something I say I don't like, and it's probably really annoying for you guys. Sorry.

-T.S.


	10. What are Friends for? P1

Big Bob Pataki eyed his daughter carefully as she walked in through the door. "Olga, what the heck happened to your hair?!" 

"I'm Helga, Dad, and I got it dyed. Why should you care?" Helga gave her father a quick scowl before walking into the kitchen for a can of soup.

"I'll tell you why I should care! I have a beeper emporium to run! How are my work associates supposed to know I mean business if my own daughter looks like some punk clown?!" Bob pounded his fist on the counter.

"Well, Bob, if your employees give you any lip you can just do what you always do: fire them." She pulled down a can of chicken noodle from the wooden cupboard and set it on the counter, then pulled out a pan from a different cupboard.

"True," he rubbed chin, "But I can't just fire all my workers, y'know! Not with this Movie-Electrics deal going on."

Helga heated the soup and walked to the living room, ignoring her father. She was about to slump into an overstuffed chair when she realised a yellow envelope had beaten her to it. "What's this?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, those are plans for the prototypes of those new phones I've been talking about. As king of Big Bob's Beepers, it's my job to check these things over to make sure they're up to my quantity! And so far, these phones are gonna be some beauties!" Bob rubbed his large hands together in greedy delight."The screens are two-hundred times clearer and the sound is ten times louder! You can download whole music videos and movies, record up to five hours of video, send videos you've recorded, send videos while you record... hey... hey, young lady, I'M TALKING TO... HEY!"

Helga walked back to the kitchen to check her soup, tired of hearing Bob rave about his stupid business deal. The soup was steaming, so she turned off the oven and pulled a spoon out from a nearby drawer. She wasn't going to bother taking using a bowl, since it would just be one more dirty to wash.

"Olga, I'm the boss around here, got it? I'm the big kahuna! The head of this family! And you are going to respect me!!" Bob yelled as he storm in the kitchen after her.

"Oh yes, my Lord, all hail the beeper king!" She spat sarcasticly as she turned around and bowed. Then she scowled as she stood up and put her hands on her hips.

"Now, that's more like it! I'm going to take the prototypes to my office, so you better not disturb me!" Bob gave the last word and left.

Helga growled as she grabbed her soup and headed for the living room again to watch t.v. On her way there, Bob was coming back and he bumped her, making her slosh some of the soup on the rug.

"Watch it, Olga!"

"I'm... Helga..." she whispered harshly under her breath and sat down in the chair, leaving the the puddle on the floor to be. She glanced at it for a moment while looking for the remote. "Let it stain. I'll clean it up later."

GERALD'S HOUSE

Gerald ran in his room with phone in hand, hoping Phoebe could forgive him for calling late. Sitting on his bed, he punched the numbers in and waited as the phone rang... and rang... and rang. He lyed on his back, trying to relax as the seconds felt like whole minutes.

"Gerald?" Phoebe's voice sounded a little tired when she finally answered. "What happened?"

"Look, I'm so, so sorry. My dad was watching Discovery Channel about tricks to use less electricity and I had to wait forever for him to go to bed. But I'm here now, and-"

"It's okay," Phoebe interupted and yawned.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't be keeping you up this late. I should've just stood up to my dad and just called you."

"Gerald, it's okay. Your father is the head of your family and you respected that without neglecting me. I'm greatful for that."

He smiled and gave the ceiling a half lidded gaze. "Hey, Phoebe?"

"Yes, Gerald?"

"Thanks for understanding."

"You're welcome."

"Sooo, Phoebe, baby, about the Cheese Festival... you still plan on going with me, right?" He said as smooth as possible.

Phoebe giggled. "Well, of course, Gerald! Why would I ever change my mind?"

Frowning, he grew nervous. 'Oh man, what can I say without looking like an idiot?' He closed his eyes until he got an idea. "Well, you always go with Helga, since you're her best friend and all... I didn't know if maybe she changed plans or not."

"No," Phoebe sighed, "She's... busy."

"What's wrong?" Gerald asked as soon as he heard the distress in Phoebe's voice. "Does it have something to do with that guy with the green hair?"

"Well... can you keep a secret for me Gerald?"

He blinked his eyes and pushed his eyebrows together, puzzled. "For you, of course." He blushed at his own words.

"Okay." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly." HelgasgoingoutwiththisguynamedJakeandI'mstressedbecauseshewontgivehimupeventhough-"

"Woah, Phoebe, slow down, I can't understand a word you're saying!"

"Sorry. It's just... I'm very loyal to Helga, just like she is to me, and I've never told anyone something so personal about her. That boy with the green hair we saw yesterday is Helga's new boyfriend. He scares me, Gerald! He... he... he smokes and I found illegal drugs in his room."

_"Dang..."_ Gerald frowned. "Does she know?" Helga's dating choices weren't any of his business and he wanted to keep it that way, but there was definitely something weird going on.

"Yes, Gerald! He even influenced her to inhale one of those terrible cigarettes! Despite his nature, she refuses to let him go. I'm worried about what he might do to her!"

"Boy, she knows how to pick 'em, huh?" Gerald said sarcasticly, trying to lighten Phoebe's worry. An awkward moment of silence from the other end of the phone told him he'd made a mistake. "Look, I'll have my man, Fuzzy Slippers, do a check on him."

"Fuzzy... Slippers?" She sounded skeptical.

"Yeah, Fuzzy Slippers knows everything about everyone and more, and Fuzzy Slippers tells _no_ lie. If he can tell me what I had for breakfast on any given date without even being there, he can dig up some dirt on this guy. What's his name?"

"Jake. That's all I know."

"Then that's all I need. I should have something in a day or two. Just try and hang in there. I'm here for you, 'kay?"

"Thank you, Gerald." Phoebe sounded a little more at ease..

"No need. If there is anything I can do to make you feel better, then it'd be my pleasure."

Phoebe giggled. "Oh, Gerald, you're so... so..."

"So busted." Jamie-O burst open the door to Gerald's room, holding the only other house phone in his hand.

"Jamie-O, can't I please have some privacy?" Gerald whined.

"No way, lil' bro. Wait 'til Dad hears you're using the phone after six." He ran in and jumped on the bed.

"Hey, you use the phone after six all the time and I don't tell Dad! Can't you just let it go this once?"

"The only reason you don't tell Dad, is because I know how to give the noogey from Hell. You, on the other hand, are kinda scrawny compared to me. So I'm free to let Dad know that _GERALD IS USING THE PHONE!"_ Jamie-O yelled the last part.

"Phoebe," Gerald talked quickly into the phone, "I'll have to see you tomorrow. I need to hang up before-"

"Gerald Johannson, are you using the phone past six o'clock? You know the rules here. How long have you been on? Do you realise how much phone bills cost these days?! I'm not made out of money!" His dad stormed into the room.

"He's talking to a girl." Jamie-O added, pointing to his little brother.

"Is that so?" Mr. Johannson put his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow.

"Well.. I..." Gerald scratched the back of his head nervously, forgetting Phoebe could probably hear on the other line.

"It's that one girl named... Pheeny... Phony..."

"Her name is Phoebe!" He yelled.

"Right," Jamie-O snapped his fingers, "that one girl he's had a huge crush on since fifth grade."

"Jamie-O!"

"Well, Gerald, you better tell you're little girlfriend that you'll have to talk to her tomorrow."

"Gerald has a girlfriend?" Timberly walked in the door, rubbing her eyes.

"No! I mean, maybe... I... I don't know, okay!"

"Gerald has a girlfriend! Gerald has a girlfriend!" The young girl chimed.

"Tmberly, be quiet!"

"Make me!"

At this point, Mrs. Johannson was growing impatient and, storming into the noise room, grabbed the phones out of Gerald and Jamie-O's hands. She turned one phone off and spoke into the other. "Ms. Phoebe? I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's awfully late. Gerald should be in bed and you should too. You can call him tomorrow."

"But no later than six pm and no earlier than eight am!" Mr. Johannson spoke towards the phone."

"Goodnight."

"Moooom!" Gerald whined when as his mom hung up.

"I said, 'Goodnight', Gerald. Jamie-O and Timberly, it's your bed times too. Now get in to bed and don't come out until morning."

After everyone finally left, Mrs. Johannson turned off the light and closed the door. Gerald took a moment to think over what Phoebe possibley heard pulled his pillow over his head, groaning loudly.

PATAKI HOUSE, NEXT MORNING

Helga woke up and for once, Jake wasn't at the window. She buried her face back into her pillow, hoping for a few more minutes of sleep before he showed up. Five minutes later, she hadn't fallen back asleep and her window remained unvisited. 'He's either late or I'm early.' She thought as she rolled on her side to look at the clock. 12:09. 'He's usually here by now.' Through half-closed eyes she watched the time and waited. Ten minutes went by, and still no Jake. After fifteen minutes had gone by, Helga decided to stop waiting.

"If he's spending all day on that stupid party, I'm gonna..." She trailed off the empty threat with a yawn and finally sat up. Then she kicked her legs over the side of the bed and walked to her closet. She opened the doors to find a single red dress, along with the rest of her newest outfit, hanging solely inside. "Why that... he takes all my regular clothes, but doesn't bother to wake me up. Jerk." She pulled her over-sized sleep shirt over her head and changed into her new outfit. Then she dragged herself out of the room, wondering what the day might bring. "Yeah right."

SUNSET ARMS

"Hey, Arnold! I got those new pajamas for you!" Grandpa said cheerfully as he bursted into Arnold's room.

"Thanks, Grandpa." He mumbled as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Ah, no need to." He pretended to be bashful and threw a pink bundle across the room. He grinned mischieviously as Arnold pulled it off his head, revealing "his new pajamas" as a pink night-gown, complete with lace trimming. Arnold frowned. "Just kidding!" Grandpa laughed as he revealed a second bundle, this one blue, and threw it across the room as well. "Get your caboost down stairs for breakfast, Short Man. Take your time, Grandma's gone hippy again and made soy pancakes and tofu eggs." The two grimaced and the old man left.

Arnold smiled after Grandpa closed the door behind him and playfully shook his head. 'Only at my house.' He thought and got out of bed. He stretched his muscles and yawned quietly, then walked over to his closet. He threw both new sets of pajamas in and changed into his clothes for the day, then left his room and headed downstairs.

Arnold could smell the animal-friendly concoction even before he entered the kitchen and sat down next Grandpa, his usual place.

"Here you go, Helping Sun. Now if you'll excuse me, ol' Wild Flower's got to go fight against the establishment!" Grandma scraped the last of the food onto Arnold's plate before running outside, bare-foot and screaming, "FREEDOOOOOM!" in a flowing white dress and purple sun glasses.

Grandpa put down his newspaper and crossed his legs, completely uneffected by the nearly daily routine. "You're little girlfriend called earlier."

"Lila?!" Arnold asked a little loudly.

"Yeah, she said she wanted to talk to you about some festival or other." he scratched his chin, "How are you two getting along, anyways?"

"Good, Grandpa. The Cheese Festival is only days away and I can't wait to take her!" he smiled as he shoveled a bite of soy pancake into his mouth. While both subjects of food tasted pretty strange, the pancakes were a little better than the tofu eggs.

"Well, it's good to know someone's getting some action around here, eh, Short Man?" Grandpa laughed until he saw the blank expression on his grandson's face. "You'll get it when you're older."

"Actually," Arnold swallowed his food, "Lila wants to take our relationship slow, so we have."

"Slow?" Grandpa looked confused, "How slow?"

"Hugging, holding hands.You know." He ate more of his pancakes.

"What about, eh..." He pointed to his lips as he puckered them. Arnold shook his head. "You're only supposed to go that slow at the beginning of the relationship! Unless... you did something wrong and she's mad at ya. Remember when she was going out with your weird little cousin, Arnie? She was over here every stinkin' morning! She-"

"Yes, Grandpa, I know. Gerald reminded me." Arnold groaned and stuffed more food in his mouth.

"Well, what did you do?!" Grandpa leaned closer, keeping one eye open and looking at him.

"Nothing that I know of..." He trailed off and thought, 'Maybe I _did_ do something wrong.'

The two suddenly looked at the kitchen's door as squealing and shrieking could suddenly be heard. Abner chased one of Grandma's cats inside the house, through the kitchen, and out into the hallway. Arnold let out a small laugh as crashing could be heard, and Abner ran back into the kitchen, this time, the one being chased. He slipped on the lenolium and ended up sliding head first into the fridge. The cat ran outside, and Arnold laughed harder.

"You crazy pig!" Grandpa got out of his seat, angry, and walked into the hall to check for damage. "Abner!" He yelled.

Arnold put his plate on the floor and got out of his own seat too. The portly pig instinctively walked over and finished off the left over food, squealing in piggy delight.

"I'm going to go over to Lila's!" He called over his grandpa's cursing as he took his shoes from the closet and slipped them over his socks. Then he opened the door to find his Grandma in handcuffs standing at the other side.

"If anybody asks, Woodstock's been cancelled and the silencer's are on the fritz." she shifted her eyes left and right, then made her way down the street, screaming with her hands still cuffed together. "LOVE NOT WAR!"

Arnold rolled his eyes and left for Lila's.

PATAKI HOUSE

Helga was brushing her teeth when the phone rang. "Baw, cen you geddit?!" She yelled, but there was no answer, and the the phone continued to ring. Helga growled before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and spitting. "BOB?!" She ran down stairs and picked up the nearest reciever. "Satan speeking, who in Hell do you want?" She answered.

"Helga?" A small, familiar voice replied.

"Hey, Pheebs, what's up? The way you ran off the other day, I was wondering if you'd ever speak to me again." She said sarcasticly, despite being the who told Phoebe to leave.

"Oh, that was what I wanted... to... um, nevermind. I was wondering if, perhaps, you would mind visiting me soon. I want to talk to you about something. A couple of things, actually."

"Can't you just tell me over the phone?" Helga turned and leaned her back against the wall.

"Well... I guess I could, but I'd feel more comfortable if I could talk to you in person.

"Fine, I'll come see you. I'll be over in forty-five."

"Thank you, Helga. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Pheebs."

Helga hung up the phone and walked into the living room, where Bob lyed on the large recliner chair, a glass bottle in hand. "Bob. I need bus fair." Again there was no answer, and familiar memories flooded into her head. "Bob!" She shouted and shoved his shoulder hard.

"Make me proud, Olga. Make me proud." He drawled in a drunken stupor and relief poured over Helga.

"Where's your wallet?" She demanded, changing to anger at her father for scaring her and for mumbling one of things she resented most about her family.

"In the kitchen, Olga, leave me alone." He growled.

Helga made her way for that exact destination and found the black leather lump on the counter. She pulled out the change and five bucks for lunch, then walked to the bus stop.

JOHANNSON HOUSE

Gerald yawned as he sat in front of his computer. His door shut, windows locked, and curtains drawn as they always were when he talked to Fuzzy Slippers. He even told his parents he was going to Arnold's house, went outside, around the house, and then climbed in through his window for extra security. The routine had gotten tiring fast, but it wasn't done for his own self assurance. It was for Fuzzy Slipper's.

He rested his head on the desk in his room, his eyes fluttering shut and drool threatening to escape his lips. He had forced himself to get up early, trying to find as much information about Jake as quick as possible, just as Phoebe had asked him to. Gerald smiled as he imaged the petite Japenese girl throwing her arms around his waist and calling him a hero. He barely opened his eyes to look at the screen, which still remained blank.

"Maybe he's busy?" He groggily reasoned out-loud as he reached for the "off" button. His finger barely made contact with the hard-plastic, when a familiar _'ding'_ came from the speakers. Gerald removed his finger and looked up just as a window popped up, revealing a small report, along with a few mug shots.

"Holy shi..." he slowly trailed off and whistled as he quickly scanned his eyes over the report. "Drug abuse... alcohol abuse... some petty theft, fights, beats his mom, beats his girlfriends...phyciatry sessions... juvy time..." Gerald blinked any sleepiness left out of his eyes before opening them wide and continued reading out loud. "Alcoholic, abusive father committed suicide... overdosed. Like father, like son, I guess. No wonder he's Helga's type."

Gerald printed off the papers in case Phoebe wanted to see them and put them in a desk drawer. Just as he shut the computer off, his mom walked into his room with vaccuum in hand.

'Gerald, I thought you went to Arnold's?" She looked at him, puzzled

"Well, I... I came back! Yeah, he was busy. He had chores." He scratched the back of his neck and gave his mom his cheesy, winning smile.

"That's a good idea. You have some chores too. You can start by mopping the kitchen and all the bathrooms."

"But, Moooooom!' He whined.

"Don't give me that attitude. The sooner you start, the sooner you'll finish."

Gerald groaned, but there was nothing he could do. So, dragging his feet, he walked to the basement for the cleaning supplies.

HELGA

Kicking a rock as she walked down the side walk, Helga smiled, casually day-dreaming about her love. "Oh, Jake, maybe Phoebe will finally realise how much you mean to me. With your odd ways and outcastic demeanor, you dominate the world and let nothing get over you." she hooked her arm around a nearby pole and swung around a few times, enjoying a romantic sense of freedom. "So, maybe you have a few illegal addictions and maybe you want to change me a little..." she let go of the pole and made her way down the street again. "...but no one's perfect right? I mean, you're no-"

Helga suddenly crashed into a familiar person and fell backwards.

"Umph!" They let out in unison.

"Sorry." Arnold apoligized, a sliver of distant... maybe even sad... tone in it, but not enough for the average person to detect. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

For split second, Helga worried, but the care was quickly washed over with anger and she growled as Arnold routinely stood up and held out his hand. "Watch it, Football Head, you are NOT on my good list! Far from it! In fact, I should pound you in this very spot!" To prove her point, she stood up and shoved ol' Betsy in his face.

At first, Arnold looked at the fist, confused, until his eyes became wide with realisation and fear. "Helga?" He eyed her carefully. "What happened to your blonde hair? And your pink dress?"

"What do you mean, what about my-" She crossed her arms, remembering Jake's little "make-over". "So, I got a new look. You got a problem with that, Arnoldo?"

"Well, no, but... why?"

"What does it matter to you?! Maybe I wanted a new look. Maybe I wanted a change! Crimeny, can't I do anything without people questioning me?!" She threw her arms in the air and rolled her eyes.

"It's just-"

"No, Arnoldo. You shouldn't care and deep down, you don't. I didn't come here to see you, or to get back with the happy little gang. I'm not a part of that anymore. I'm not a part of you. I just came to see Phoebe. So if you dare speak to me again, EVER AGAIN, I'm going to punt your football shaped head to Norway, GET IT?!" She shouted as loud as she could.

"Sorry, Helga." Arnold walked around her, trying to settle the tiny ball of fear in his stomache. Even _she_ didn't usually get that mad. "I'm just going to miss that pink bow of yours."

Helga watched him walk away for a moment, before shaking her head back to bully mode. Then she bent down and picked up the nearest, small rock and threw it at the back of Arnold's knee, not staying to watch him fall. "Serves him right for shrugging off Helga G. Pataki." She told herself outloud, killing any guilt that threatened to surface as she ran the rest of the way to Phoebe's house.

"Hello?" The small, Japanese girl's voice was heard from behind the door.

"It's me, Helga!" She managed to shout, out of breath..

"Oh!" Phoebe opened the door, surprised to see Helga with hot-pink hair and new clothes. "Why, you look-"

"Can it, Pheebs, I'm not going through this again."

"Pardon me?" She looked puzzled as Helga made her way through the door.

"So..." she slumped into a chair, sitting sideways, ignoring the question. "Where are your parents?"

"There out to the grocery store and will return shortly." She adjusted her glasses. "As I've already told you on the phone, there are a few things I would like to converse to you about."

"And what's that?' Helga kicked her legs, finally able to relax.

"Well... I... it's just..." She sat down next to her friend and put her hands in her lap, shyly looking at the ground.

"Out with it, Pheebs, I haven't got all day. I have a party to get to, Jake's house."

Phoebe took a large breath and straightened her back, a sign she was about to get assertive. "That's who I want to talk to you about. I really, really don't think Jake is good for you. I... I know he isn't good for you. You need to get away from him." She let out the rest of her breath and looked at Helga's face, which slowly turned to a familiar scowl.

"How do you know what I need?" She narrowed her eyes.

"He does drugs, Helga! Illegal drugs!" Phoebe's voice raised in concern.

"So?!"

"I saw his mother! She had bruises covering her body! A black eye!"

"So maybe she's clumsy?!"

"You don't get a black eye from falling down the stairs, Helga!"

"Maybe she's really clumsy?! What does this have to do with Jake?!"

"She had appeared timid about the injuries, a significate sign of abuse. She had bruises, but Jake didn't. If it were a father or boyfriend who assaulted her, why would they leave him unharmed?! Why did he show no worry for her safety?! I must conclude that Jake was the one that hit her!"

"Maybe he didn't know about the bruises yet?!" Helga nervously rubbed her arm.

"Some of the bruises were yellow around edges, which occurs when the bruises are healing." Phoebe's face showed both anger and concern.

Helga's eyes glanced franticly in all directions before finally closing, but the frustration did not leave her face. Despite all of her attempts to defend Jake, instinctive fear had risen inside her, and she was doing everything in her strength to hide it. After a moment of silence, she whispered the only thing she could think of. "He said he loves me."

"Goddamnit, Helga!" Phoebe swore, something she had never done before. "He is going to hurt you!"

Helga tightly closed her fists and clenched her teeth, trying to avoid yelling at the only friend she really had. A long, dead silence gave the room an eery chill, despite the Summer season. Neither of the two spoke or dared to look at eachother. A long while after Phoebe was sure everyone's nerves were settled, did she dare break the thick tension.

"Gerald's taking me to the Cheese Festival." She mentioned sheepishly, hoping to move to a lighter subject.

"Oh, well that's just peachy, Pheebs!" Helga burst out, flooded with sharp sarcasm. "You have the right to go out with one of the biggest losers of Hillwood and everything's fine and dandy for you, but when I find somebody I can actually talk to, someone who actually cares about me, who not only listens, but loves me, Helga fricken G. Pataki, it's an inconvience and worries you! Thanks a lot, Phoebe, what are friend's for?! Crimeny!" She stood up and stompted her way to the door.

"Helga, I'm only trying to break you up because _I_ _do_ care!" She shouted again, angry that her best friend would imply that their frienship was wasted, even if only in anger. "Jake's the one that doesn't care!"

"Tell it to Geraldo." Helga said through clenched teeth. "You and I are done, Heyerdahl."

Tears brimmed Phoebe's eyes as she watched Helga run out the door, past her parents.

"Konichiwa, Helga..." Mr. Heyerdahl's voice trailed off as he and his wife were shoved to the side. The two slowly walked into the house, carrying groceries, and he gave his daughter a puzzled look. "Sorry, it took so long, but the lines were slow and there was some heavy traffic on the way back... is something wrong between Helga and you?"

"Helga, who?" Phoebe squeaked and ran upstairs to her room. She fell to knees, resting her head on her bed, choking back sobs. The phone on her desk rang, causing her to flinch. The first few times she ignored it, but after realising her parents were to busy putting away groceries down stairs, she finally walked over and picked up the recievor.

"Hello?" She answered, miserabley.

"Phoebe, what's wrong?" Gerald asked, and a small piece of relief hit her.

"Hel... Helga..." She tried to say calmly.

"I got that report on Jake. I printed it off in case-"

"Forget it, Gerald." Phoebe whiped her eyes. "It doesn't matter."  
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Author's Apology: ACK! I'm sorry! I'm sorry this took so long, I'm sorry this isn't my best chapter, I'm sorry I over-used the phone thing (seriously...), I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! The housing authority keeps sending inspections, we had a death in the family, my mom has to keep missing work because the housing authority keeps sending inspections, I'm trying to write this story, I'm trying to write a script for a comic I want to start running, I've school work to do, I should probably try to get a job soon, my mom's getting high blood pressure (which she can't take medication for, because of a brain thing) and that's not even halfway down the list. You know when you give a computer too many jobs to do and starts to slow down until it crashes? Then everything you do afterwords, no matter what, will always be painfully slow? That's what's happening to me. So, I'm sorry this took so long and isn't even decently good. The chapter was originally going to be longer, but I had this horrible feeling that people were getting impatient and it was already January, so I'm posting this in parts (which is why the chapter is "What are Friends for? P1" (sarcastic title)) The next part/chapter will be titled "Pretty Girl P2". Why? There's a song by a band, Sugarcult, called Pretty Girl. It's isn't my favorite song, but I've been listening to it because it fits this story and the next chapter well. _"Pretty girl is suffering, while he confesses everything. Pretty soon, she'll figure out what his intentions were about. That's what you get for falling again, you can never get 'em out of your head."_


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